A patient with a head injury who is being mechanically ventilated needs to be suctioned. What should the nurse do to limit problems related to suctioning?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1. The duration of each suctioning pass should be limited to less than 10 seconds.
2. The patient may be premedicated with opiates before suctioning.
3. The flow of oxygen should not be reduced before suctioning.
4. Suctioning the patient's endotracheal tube may result in transient reductions in oxygenation. Suctioning is a noxious procedure. For both these reasons, suctioning may impact ICP. The nurse should preoxygenate the patient prior to suctioning.

A Patient with a Head Injury Who Is Being Mechanically