You are preparing to transport a critical patient who is being mechanically ventilated. As part of your patient assessment, you note that the most recent arterial blood gas (ABG) results were: pH, 7.44; PaO2, 78 mm Hg; PaCO2, 43 mm Hg; and SaO2, 98 mm Hg. Which of the following is an indicator of the effectiveness of ventilation?
Select one of the following: