This post is an excerpt taken from our complementary ebook, The Ultimate Guide to Purchasing a Portable Emergency Suction Device.

In its 2010 publication, Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science, the American Heart Association states: “Both portable and installed suction devices should be available for resuscitation emergencies.” 

Yet, many hospitals still do not stock these lifesaving devices. 

From a large metropolitan teaching hospital to a rural medical center with less than 100 beds, it is clear that resources can vary greatly between patient care facilities. Small hospitals often face extra challenging circumstances, including limited workforce, physician shortages and decreased available funding to make infrastructure and equipment improvements. Yet despite these challenges, according to the American Hospital Association, 51 million Americans still rely on small, rural hospitals for their care.  What are some things small hospitals can do to ensure delivery of vital services on a modest budget?

You are transporting your 78-year-old patient for a CT scan. She has a history of COPD and has had a tracheostomy for several months. She normally has an effective cough to clear any secretions, but mid-transport you notice that she starts seeming restless and agitated. Her pulse oximeter begins to alarm, and on auscultation you hear rhonchi bilaterally. You suspect that she may need to be suctioned to remove a mucus plug. You flip the switch on the portable suction machine attached to the transport bed, and you hear... nothing. Even though the battery was charging for hours, your portable suction machine won’t operate.