Question

The nurse is teaching the spouse of a patient how to perform oral suctioning for when they return home. Which of the following statements, if made by the spouse, indicates further instruction is needed?

A. It would be abnormal to obtain bloody secretions.
B. Because oral secretions are thick, suction settings should always be set on high.
C. I should be careful to avoid touching the back of the throat with the tip of the suction catheter.
D. I should encourage fluids to help keep secretions thin.

Answer 1

Option B). Statement B indicates further instruction is needed on oral suctioning technique, as high suction settings can cause trauma and are not always necessary. Proper technique involves using the lowest effective setting and managing thick mucus, which can be worsened by the absence of the CFTR channel.

Step-by-step explanation:

Statement B, "Because oral secretions are thick, suction settings should always be set on high," is the appropriate response to the question about which spouse's statement suggests more training is required for performing oral suctioning. This assertion is untrue and suggests miscommunication. In order to minimize potential harm to the tissues of the mouth and throat, proper suctioning techniques call for the use of the lowest suction setting that is effective in clearing secretions. Even in cases where secretions are thick, high settings can be traumatizing and are not always necessary. Additionally, when the CFTR channel is absent, there is insufficient Cl-transport, which results in thick secretions because there isn't a typical water concentration gradient to thin out the mucus. This leads to thick and sticky mucus. Statements A, C, and D demonstrate knowledge of appropriate suctioning technique and handling mucus.