In an airway emergency, every second counts. Imagine if you were the one suffering from airway compromise. You’d want your responders to not only react immediately to your situation, but to employ precision when clearing your airway.

Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that one of your most important pieces of EMS equipment is also one of your simplest? Such is the case with medical suction machines. The ability to generate effective negative pressure that is then channeled via a portable suction unit means that even the most clogged airway can be cleared. And there’s nothing that can replace this most valuable of machines.

As a paramedic, you know the most critical task you are called on to perform is managing the airway. Whether your patient is an asthmatic, struggling for breath; a pediatric suffering a partial blockage due to an inhaled object; or an unconscious trauma victim with a blood-clogged airway, the decisions you make and the actions you take will determine whether your patient lives or dies.

With today’s innovative technology, EMS equipment has come a long way. Computers make monitoring, diagnosing, and even documenting a breeze, while cutting-edge materials make equipment lighter, stronger, and safer. Even our portable suction units are modern marvels. They are no longer the clunky, inefficient machines of years past. Now they are smaller; more powerful; and designed for safe, effective use.

Anyone who has ever used a portable suction unit knows the importance of power and reliability. Suction units, like any other piece of lifesaving equipment, must be durable, effective, and able to tackle the most difficult of airways.

Take a deep breath. Now let it out slowly. Do you ever stop to think about the amazing physiological processes that take place within our bodies, each time we take a breath? Breathing is one of many bodily functions we take for granted—that is, until we are unable to breath. Something to think about the next time you treat an asthmatic or choking victim.

The scene is chaotic. You’ve responded to the community pool for a “patient not breathing” and find a young boy, no older than 10, in full cardiac arrest after being pulled from the bottom by bystanders. Good CPR is being delivered, but all eyes are on you as you quickly set up your equipment. As your partner hooks up the monitor, you whip open the portable suction unit to clear the copious amount of water erupting from the patient’s mouth. You flip on the switch and…nothing. You fiddle with the knob, but your suction unit is dead. The crowd stares in horror as you struggle to come up with Plan B.

No matter how long you’ve worked in healthcare, you know there is always room for improvement when it comes to skills. We practice intubation procedures, review drug protocols, and simulate mega-codes, all for the sake of sharpening our techniques and refreshing our knowledge base. In the ever-changing world of medicine, you can never stop learning.

Effective oral and nasal suctioning is a proven lifesaving treatment. When faced with an obstructed airway, due to blood, vomit, or secretions, there is no substitute for suctioning.

We’re all familiar with the proper steps in suctioning, but perhaps it’s been awhile since you’ve performed this vital skill. So, in an effort to enhance patient safety, let’s review some medical suction requirements so that we reduce some of its potential complications.