2017 Patient Safety and the Hazards of Suctioning

Improperly set vacuum regulators can expose patients to vacuum pressures up to 15 times higher than recommended pressures for suction procedures. Higher than recommended pressures can cause suction induced injury, including derecruitment and tears to the delicate mucosal tissue in the stomach or trachea, leading to bleeding and potential infection. Research indicates that the prevention of suction-induced lung derecruitment is more clinically relevant than reversal of Acute Lung Injury (ALI) or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrom (ARDS). Many clinicians, however, do not fully understand how they can help to prevent these complications through the proper use of vacuum regulators. This program discusses issues relative to suctioning and how the AARC Clinical Practice Guidelines help improve patient safety.

Original webcast date: March 6, 2014

Approved for 1.0 CRCE Hour

**Please note that all programs require the participant to view the entire program prior to taking the final quiz and obtaining a course certificate.**

User reviews for Patient Safety and the Hazards of Suctioning:

"This was very informative."
"One of the most informative lectures I've heard."
"The presentation would be especially beneficial to RTs who practice in long term care or rehab settings."

Seminar Information
Seminar Date:
January 01, 2017
Expiration Date:
December 31, 2017 11:59 PM
Seminar Objectives
  • Explain strategies to avoid hospital acquired infection
  • Choose the contributing factors that are mechanisms of lung inflammation and damage in mechanical ventilation
  • Understand how to prevent inadvertent over-suctioning, tissue trauma, and traumatic atelectasis
  • Identify how current evidence based guidelines address patient safety issues relative to suctioning
  • Identify actions the RT can take to enhance patient safety
Patient Safety and the Hazards of Suctioning
Speaker Information
Bill Lamb BS, RRT, CPFT, FAARC   [ view bio ]
Individual topic purchase: Selected
American Association for Respiratory Care
Continuing Respiratory Care Education: 1.00
Products
This seminar is no longer available for purchase.