Airway suctioning refers to the mechanical removal of secretions, blood, or foreign material from the respiratory tract to maintain airway patency. By clearing the airway, these medical devices prevent aspiration pneumonia and facilitate effective ventilation in patients ranging from drowning victims to those requiring intubation. Because the risk of iatrogenic airway injuries is high, paramedics and EMTs must understand the specific types of airway suctioning machines for EMS to ensure patient safety.

The risk of suction-related mistakes is high. Latrogenic airway injuries are common, especially when caring for pediatric patients, the elderly, and intubated patients. Your ability to save lives depends on a comprehensive awareness of each type of suctioning machine. In a mass casualty event such as a natural disaster, you might need to use another agency’s equipment. Now is the time to learn, practice, and build your skills. Here are four types of suction machines you need to know.

Key Takeaways

• Airway suctioning is essential for removing respiratory secretions and preventing life-threatening aspiration pneumonia in patients.

• Manual suction devices operate without electricity but often provide inconsistent vacuum pressure during emergency medical procedures.

• Wall-mounted suction units provide stationary, reliable vacuum power within ambulances and hospital-based patient care environments.

• Battery-operated portable suction devices offer mobile, high-performance vacuum capabilities for tactical and pre-hospital emergency settings.

• Makeshift suction devices serve as last-resort tools for airway protection when standard medical equipment remains unavailable.

No matter what profession you are in, it’s always important to value learning new concepts and skills and staying up to date on changing industry standards and best practices. EMS providers have an imperative to find as many opportunities as possible to continue learning new things about their patients, as well as ways to provide the most safe and effective care possible to patients, in any scenario.

When faced with the challenge of transporting someone in respiratory distress, emergency responders should be able to identify the symptoms and remain prepared to spring into action with the right procedures and equipment.

Anyone who has worked in the field of EMS has worked their fair share of codes. You arrive on the scene to find a patient in full arrest, so you initiate CPR, begin bagging, and break out your ALS equipment. Everything is running smoothly—that is until the patient vomits. You reach for your portable suction unit, only to realize you left it on the truck. Big mistake!

Suctioning has long been a mainstay of both emergency and routine medical care, but in 2020, it truly came into its own. On a given team, there might have been one or two suctioning experts. But in the wake of the pandemic, every member of every team needed to become a skilled, compassionate expert at suctioning patients. 

Emerging evidence suggests that bariatric patients are at a higher risk of developing severe COVID illness. This means they may represent a disproportionate share of your patients during the pandemic. If you’re suctioning a bariatric patient, here are six complexities to consider. 

Purchasing any type of new medical equipment is a major decision, and portable medical suction is no exception. There are countless products available, all of which come with different sizes, shapes capabilities, and situation-specific features. So, how do you decide which medical suction device to buy?

The EMS industry seems to have different trends constantly—new technologies and improved techniques bombard you on what seems like a daily basis. In 2019, these trends appear to have a deeper focus on the EMS system as a whole and the ultimate goal of improving the system and focusing on the patient. Let’s look at a few EMS trends to watch in 2019 and how they can impact you and your practice.

In the last 8 years, rural America has seen 83 hospitals close their doors¹, putting added strain on already limited resources and leaving communities without access to emergency healthcare. The remaining hospitals are responsible for a wider radius of territory which has led to increased patient transport time. As a result, first response care has become even more crucial in rural communities when an emergency situation arises and every second counts.

Each change of season brings special challenges for EMS professionals. Depending on where you live, and the climate in which you respond, temperature extremes can dictate specific precautions when it comes to equipment maintenance. In the extreme north, where heavy snowfall impedes response, specialized gear such as tires and protective clothing may need to be employed.