OBJECTIVES To measure airway pressures during closed system suctioning with the ventilator set to three differing modes of ventilation. METHODS Closed system suctioning was conducted in 16 patients following cardiac surgery. Suctioning was performed using a 14 French catheter with a vacuum level of -500 cmH2O through an 8.0 mm internal diameter endotracheal tube. The lungs were mechanically v...

Appropriate resuscitation must be available for each of the more than 4 million infants born annually in the United States. Ninety percent of infants transition safely, and it is up to the physician to assess risk factors, identify the nearly 10 percent of infants who need resuscitation, and respond appropriately. A team or persons trained in neonatal resuscitation should be promptly available ...

BACKGROUND Conventional sputum suctioning is a routine clinical practice, but complications may arise from the blind manipulation of the catheter. Recently, a visual sputum suctioning system (VSSS) was developed, and we tested this new system in a laboratory setting. METHODS We used coagulant concentrations of 1.5% and 3.0% to simulate mucus and sputum. Conventional single-lumen and triple-lu...

Abstract Background Endotracheal suctioning is one of the most frequently performed invasive procedures by intensive care nurses. Nurses should have adequate knowledge and skills to perform endotracheal based on best evidence. Little known about nurses’ practice evidence-based in Chinese hospitals. The purpose this study was investigate recommendations regarding suctioning. Specifically, aimed ...

BACKGROUND Self-report is the best indicator of pain; however, pain is more difficult to assess in noncommunicative patients who may be receiving mechanical ventilation or sedated and unable to report pain. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the validity and sensitivity of 6 pain scales (Adult Nonverbal Pain Scale; Behavior Pain Scale [BPS]; Comfort Scale; FACES; Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolabil...

BACKGROUND It has been suggested that an adult 8.0 endotracheal tube (ETT) connected to a neonatal meconium aspirator would improve suctioning during emergent endotracheal intubation compared to the Yankauer suction instrument, the standard tool used by emergency physicians. OBJECTIVES This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of a Yankauer vs. an ETT-meconium aspirator set-up in s...