A ventilator is a type of equipment that is used in the ICU to assist people in breathing when they are unable to do so themselves. The ventilator is attached to a tube placed in the patient's airway so it can deliver breathes into the lungs of the patient. The ventilator can be set to deliver a certain amount of breathes per minute just like if the patient was breathing normally. As the patient begins to improve and breathe on their own the ventilator and tube can be removed.