As an emergency medical professional, you rely on a number of sophisticated tools to treat your patients. From cardiac monitors that defibrillate and cardiovert to drugs that reverse anaphylaxis and pulmonary edema, you are responsible, not only for the benefits, but also the dangers, associated with such therapies. And even the simplest treatment can pose serious harm when not applied properly. A great example is your portable suction machine. Here, we’ll discuss three dangerous mistakes to avoid when applying portable suction in the field.

For any emergency responder who has ever run on a “child choking,” you know it is typically a frantic scenario. Not only is it horrific to witness a child who is unable to breathe, but you have mere seconds to correct the event or face an inevitable pediatric code.

It’s a Sunday morning and shift has just begun. You’re chatting over coffee with your coworkers as the new rookie stumbles through the door, arms loaded down with brand new gear and a shiny, unmarred helmet atop his head. You’re whisked back to your first day on the job. Has it really been ten years? How did so much time pass without you noticing?

Today’s emergency responders have a wealth of technology available to them, enabling them to provide the highest level of service to their patients. Cardiac monitors not only assess heart rhythms and rates, but also gauge a patient’s blood pressure and oxygen saturation; airway adjuncts that can administer 100% oxygen to those suffering from trauma or hypoxia; and an array of medications to treat just about any type of medical emergency.

The child was pulled from the deep end pulseless and apneic. CPR was initiated immediately, and by the time you and your crew arrive on scene, a faint pulse is detectable. Your partner begins ventilating the patient, when suddenly the child vomits. Your potential save is once again in peril; this time from choking and aspiration. You reach for your portable suction unit and realize you left it on the truck. A crew member races back to the rescue to retrieve it as you log-roll the child onto his side, all the while struggling to ventilate, maintain c-spine, and continue resuscitative efforts. Not a good scenario.

Every medical administrator knows that purchasing life-saving equipment is one of the most critical decisions they must make. Whether you work for a large trauma center, a small walk-in clinic, or a rural fire department, the decisions you make when purchasing equipment will directly affect your personnel on the front lines. And one of the most important pieces of equipment in your life-saving arsenal is the portable suction unit.