Answer :
Final answer:
To prevent hypoxemia during suctioning, it is important to hyperoxygenate the patient before and after each pass, limit suctioning duration, use smaller suction catheters, and consider administering bronchodilators if necessary.
Explanation:
The question concerns the prevention of hypoxemia during the medical procedure of suctioning. Preventing hypoxemia is critical in maintaining adequate oxygenation in patients who require suctioning, which may be needed in cases like excess mucus or pulmonary secretions.
To prevent hypoxemia during suctioning, several measures can be taken:
- Hyperoxygenate the patient before and after each suctioning pass to ensure that there is a reserve of oxygen in the lungs that can help mitigate the temporary loss of oxygen during the procedure.
- Limit each suctioning pass to a specific duration, which is usually recommended to be less than 10-15 seconds to minimize the time the airway is occluded and to reduce the risk of oxygen desaturation.
- Use a smaller suction catheter, which may decrease the trauma to the airway and the likelihood of removing excessive amounts of oxygen along with the secretions.
- Administer bronchodilators before suctioning if the patient has underlying reactive airway disease or if there is a concern that the suctioning may cause bronchospasm, which can impede airflow and oxygenation.
These methods are aimed at maintaining optimal oxygen levels and preventing a decrease in blood oxygen saturation during suctioning procedures.
