Health Library

Vest Therapy - Minnesota Protocol

If your child is prescribed to perform the Minnesota Protocol, follow the instructions below.

Setting a Starting Pressure for the Vest

• This is determined by the care team during a visit.
• Starting Pressure Range: 6-10*

*Note: Some vest machines will display pressures as a single number, double number, or in a percentage (6, 60, or 60%).

Instructions to Perform Treatment

Minnesota Protocol:

There will be six cycles of treatment. Each five minute cycle uses a different frequency and pressure setting.

• Cycle 1:
• Frequency setting = 8 Hz
• Pressure = Starting Pressure
• Time = 5 minutes
• Cycle 2:
• Frequency setting = 9 Hz
• Pressure = Same as cycle 1 (Starting Pressure)
• Time = 5 minutes
• Cycle 3:
• Frequency setting = 10 Hz
• Pressure = Decrease Starting Pressure setting by one
• Time = 5 minutes
• Cycle 4:
• Frequency setting = 18 Hz
• Pressure = Decrease to 2/3 of Starting Pressure (see chart below)
• Time = 5 minutes
• Cycle 5:
• Frequency setting = 19 Hz
• Pressure = same as Cycle 4
• Time = 5 minutes
• Cycle 6:
• Frequency setting = 20 Hz
• Pressure = Same as Cycle 4 and Cycle 5
• Time = 5 minutes

Treatment:

1. Confirm correct settings on machine for cycle.
2. Press the ON button to begin treatment.
3. After five minutes of treatment (one cycle), pause the vest to deflate the vest (if the vest does not deflate, disconnect one end of one of the hoses).
4. Have your child perform two or three sets of huff coughs to remove mucus from their lungs.
5. Repeat Steps 1-4 for remaining cycles.

Note: During vest treatments, you will want to keep your child's airways moist by taking a nebulizer treatment during the entire time your child is on the vest. One way to do this is by filling your child's nebulizer cup with about six to eight mL of sterile normal saline.