Suction???

[hbncns35]

Does your facility require suctioning equipment at bedside for patients at risk for aspiration?

Had a situation the other day where patient was choking (at risk for - known) and their was no suction available. One of the nurses had to run down the hall to the utility room to grab it and run all the way back.

Shouldn't it be protocol to already have that available at all times esp. for this patient?

What's your facility's policy?

Think I might mention this to NM -

Heather - May grad '06 BSN

[Katnip, RN]

On IMC and in the ED we have suction equipment at the bedside at all times. Seems to me you'd want it at ALL beds because you never know when someone will aspirate.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Yes. We have a careplan called "Care of the patient at risk for apspriartion" that says suction is to be available at the bedside.

It's very frustrating when you need suction to not have it available. Fortunately a couple of years ago our manager put suction machines in all rooms and they chained them to the wall so they wouldn't disappear. We have a lot of chest tubes, ng tubes, and trachs so it's nice to have suction always there.

[fergus51]

Suction and bag and mask for O2 are to be at EVERY bedside. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[irshnrse]

At my hospital, we have suction available at every bedside. The patient is not charged unless we use it. I am a firm believer that suction should be within arms reach at all times.

[misschelei]

I'm a firm believer in suction equipment ready to go @ every bedside. Going without it is an unecessary risk IMO.

[DusktilDawn]

We also see alot of Chest tubes, trachs/laryngectomies, NGs, jaws wired, etc. Automatically these patients will have suction. However, I do think the suction equipement should be set-up and ready when a room is turned-over. That is how it is SUPPOSED to be done at our facility, yet again, unless the nurse does it, it won't be done.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I'm assuming this is a long term care facility when you mentioned that a nurse had to run down the hall to the utility room to grab the suction unit and bring it back to the patient room. Acute hospitals have suction available at every bedside. Yes, mention this to your nurse manager. Any patient in a nursing home who is at risk for choking should have a suction unit at their bedside. Also, if risk of choking or aspiration is a part of that patient's care plan, the suction equipment needs to be in the room and at the ready or the state will come down hard on the facility for failing to provide for that eventuality.

[MadisonsMomRN, BSN, RN]

Yep, suction should be by all bedsides.

[nickola]

I have never heard of it not being available, but recently a relative was hospitalized on a telemetry floor, and there was no suction at any of the bedsides-- the brackets were there, but no cannisters, connector tubing, etc. It was a new unit, only open a month, but STILL, that's unacceptable, IMO.

[hbncns35]

Daytonite,

This is a Hospital well known and MAGNET.

Think they might be appalled............................NM has my email about it but I haven't heard from her yet. HB:idea:

[veegeern, BSN, RN]

Suction at every bedside? Boy, do I wish! We set up suction for aspiration precautions, seizure precautions, chest tubes, NG tubes, patients we (nursing) think might need suctioning...but my hospital (yes, that's acute care) does not have a suction set up available for every room. We're constantly calling sterile supply and other floors if we need to set up suction.