Neonatal Nurse Practitioner NCC Practice Exam

The main idea is that PIP and PEEP are two different pressures with distinct roles. Peak inspiratory pressure is the maximum airway pressure reached during the inspiratory phase; it reflects the pressure needed to deliver the breath given the lung’s compliance and airway resistance. Positive end-expiratory pressure, on the other hand, is the baseline pressure maintained in the airway at end expiration to keep alveoli open and improve oxygenation.

Why this matters: a high PIP can indicate stiff lungs or high airway resistance and is linked to the risk of lung injury (barotrauma or volutrauma) if it’s too high. PEEP stays constant at the end of expiration to prevent collapse and recruit alveoli, which helps with oxygenation and keeps the lungs open between breaths. They influence different aspects of ventilation—PIP governs the peak dynamic pressure during inspiration, while PEEP sets the end-expiratory baseline pressure.