Optimizing Endotracheal Tube Suctioning: Essential Nurse Interventions

Which interventions should the nurse perform before using an open-suctioning technique for a patient with an endotracheal (ET) tube? SATAA. Put on clean gloves.B. Administer a bronchodilator.C. Perform a cardiopulmonary assessment.D. Hyperoxygenate the patient for 30 seconds.E. Perform hand hygiene before performing the procedure.F. Insert a few drops of normal saline into the ET to break up secretions.

C. Perform a cardiopulmonary assessment.D. Hyperoxygenate the patient for 30 seconds.E. Perform hand hygiene before performing the procedure.Suctioning is preceded by a thorough assessment and hyperoxygenation for 30 seconds. Sterile, not clean, gloves are necessary, and it is not necessary to give a bronchodilator. Instillation of normal saline into the ET tube is not an accepted standard practice.

The appropriate interventions that the nurse should perform before using an open-suctioning technique for a patient with an endotracheal tube include the following:

A. Put on clean gloves:
The nurse should put on clean gloves before handling any equipment or the patient to maintain sterile technique and reduce the risk of infection.

C. Perform a cardiopulmonary assessment:
Assessing the patient’s cardiopulmonary status before performing the suctioning technique is essential to determine any potential risks and complications. The nurse should monitor the patient’s vital signs, lung sounds, and assess the patient’s level of consciousness.

D. Hyperoxygenate the patient for 30 seconds:
Hyperoxygenating the patient before suctioning helps to improve tissue oxygenation and minimize the potential stress response associated with suctioning. The nurse should provide the patient with supplemental oxygen for 30 seconds before and after the suctioning procedure.

E. Perform hand hygiene before performing the procedure:
The nurse should perform proper hand hygiene before engaging in any clinical procedures to help prevent the transmission of infection.

F. Insert a few drops of normal saline into the ET to break up secretions:
Inserting normal saline into the ET tube helps to thin out the mucus and break up secretions, thereby making it easier to suction. The nurse should instill 3-5 ml of normal saline into the endotracheal tube 5-10 minutes before suctioning.

Answer B is not an intervention that the nurse should perform before using an open-suctioning technique. Administering a bronchodilator is not a routine nursing intervention before suctioning an ET tube but could be done if indicated depending on the patient’s respiratory status and physician’s order.

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