Suctioning can be life saving, and may prevent serious complications in the dental office or surgical suite. But suctioning can also be painful and traumatic, especially if the first attempt fails. Suction complications are common and become more likely when you use the wrong suction strategy. These tips can help you choose the right suction strategy for every patient every time. 

In October of 2012, superstorm Sandy hit New York City with a vengeance. As area hospitals braced for the storm’s impact, administrators had no reason to fear their back-up generators would fail to function if the city’s power grid went down.

They were wrong.

Every nurse knows durable medical equipment doesn’t last forever.

When was the last time you kicked a hospital bed in frustration because the motor ground to a halt as you were elevating a patient’s head? Or you discovered an IV pump apparently quit working in the middle of the night, depriving your patient of vital hydration?

When equipment like a portable medical suction machine unexpectedly stops working, it can be more than a nuisance. It can endanger patient safety. If you reach for a suction wand because your patient aspirated, and you discover there’s no suction...there may be a bad outcome in the wings.

Portable suction can be a quick emergency intervention, a long-term treatment for patients under anesthesia, or a way to maintain safety and hygiene for people on ventilators. No matter how and when you use suction, no matter how routine it seems, it’s important to remember that no patient is routine. Each has their own story and own unique needs. Equally important, each presents a risk of infection and contagion if you do not correctly manage waste and clean up after suctioning. Here are the things you must check every time you use a portable suction machine. 

In 2014, Health Facilities Management magazine featured an article discussing the results of their Emergency Management Survey. A random sample of 911 hospital and health system executives were polled to learn about challenges faced during emergency situations such as natural disasters.

Healthcare costs in the United States are soaring. Americans spend more on healthcare than people in any other nation. Health systems, too, are struggling, facing enormous administrative costs and losing money when people cannot afford to pay their health bills. So it’s understandable that many agencies want to spend as little on medical equipment as possible. 

The challenge is that a few months or a few years down the line, they’re shelling out more cash. Cheap equipment is cheap for a reason. Durable equipment supports better patient care and may save you money over the long term.

When you think of in-hospital suction, you probably picture the typical wall-mounted unit that is supplied by vacuum lines piped throughout the building. What may not come readily to mind are portable suction units, but portable suction plays a vital role in the hospital setting. Let's familiarize ourselves with in-hospital suction strategies.

When we think of portable suction units, we typically picture the prehospital scenario: working a cardiac arrest poolside, managing the unresponsive patient at a nursing home, or treating the trauma patient trapped in a vehicle. But portable suction plays a vital role within the hospital setting. Let's review some of the strategies that should be employed when making strategic decisions about portable suction for hospitals.

EMS is a germy business. As an emergency responder, you are in constant contact with people suffering from communicable diseases. As your first line of defense, you must protect yourself. You must also protect your coworkers and, especially, your patients.