Why I hate Yankauers...

Hello all!

So I normally work on PCU/tele but recently I took a job on a med/surg/tele unit and lately I've had some patients with decreased LOC with Yankauers hooked up.

I absolutely hate them! Either patients can protect their airway or they can't! I mean, I can so a Yankauer possibly would be useful if the patient themselves knew how to use it on themselves but otherwise it seems not useful. On a non-responsive pt who doesn't cough on command, when you put the Yankauer in their mouth they obviously don't like it. It's hard and damaging to tissues and you barely get any saliva/sputum out of their mouth.Yankauer for oral suctioning is fairly useless. If they could cough on command and are productive, then possibly it would be useful but only in that case. I guess we just we have it the room just in case we go in an find them with vomit on the side of their mouth...

Anyone else hate Yankauers?

Z

[NuGuyNurse2b]

yup. and patients/family members apparently think it can go down the throat and suck whatever it is that is making the wet sound. I had a dying pt whose family kept asking if I could go "deeper" to suction the dying man. I said no. Then they asked if I could use the trach suctioning kit (they didn't know what it was called, but I knew what they were trying to describe). I politely informed them that he would need a trach in order for me to use that equipment.

[Farawyn]

Love Yanks, and I only gave it to patients/families who could understand how to use it.

It's not that difficult to teach.

[LovingLife123]

I think there is some type of issue if you aren't get enough suction to get the oral secretions. I use them all the time even on vented patients because the get so many oral secretions. You also don't want secretions building up in the glottis when a patient is vented. The tube will come out.

I will often have my alert and oriented patients just continue to cough up secretions. Instead of spitting they get suctioned out. Sometimes the patient can do it on there own, sometimes not.

I've never shown a family member how to auction the patient. I do it. I don't want them accidentally injuring the patient.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Working post op OHS, I noted that the only pts. who had them were those unwilling to pulmonary toilet on their own or get out of bed. They encourage laziness and most of my coworkers agreed. We all attempted to wean them as fast as possible.

[Farawyn]

Working post op OHS, I noted that the only pts. who had them were those unwilling to pulmonary toilet on their own or get out of bed. They encourage laziness and most of my coworkers agreed. We all attempted to wean them as fast as possible.

Really good point.

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Thanks for for your comments! Yeah I hate Yankauers still. It's unfortunate that so many hospitalized patients do not take seriously about the need of pulmonary toilet to prevent atelectasis/pneumonia.

Z

[Kitiger, RN]

Yankauers are wonderful for clearing nasal secretions in someone who can't blow their nose. Just touch the end of the tube to the tip of the nostril. It doesn't hurt, and it does the job quickly and easily.

[FineAgain]

Works great on liquid stool or other puddles on the chux. Makes cleanup (almost) a breeze!

[wondern, ASN]

yup. and patients/family members apparently think it can go down the throat and suck whatever it is that is making the wet sound. I had a dying pt whose family kept asking if I could go "deeper" to suction the dying man. I said no. Then they asked if I could use the trach suctioning kit (they didn't know what it was called, but I knew what they were trying to describe). I politely informed them that he would need a trach in order for me to use that equipment.

No offense but there is OT or NT suctioning available without a trach if someone's choking on their own secretions/mucous.

I love Yankauers too, especially for gurgly wet patients whose airway you don't want to irritate further with deep suctioning too frequently.

[wondern, ASN]

Thanks for for your comments! Yeah I hate Yankauers still. It's unfortunate that so many hospitalized patients do not take seriously about the need of pulmonary toilet to prevent atelectasis/pneumonia.

Z

Some pediatric patients could care less about a pulmonary toilet! They'll need you to hold the suction.