Question

a nurse is preparing to suction a clients tracheostomy. which of the following actions should the nurse take? suction for 30 seconds with each pass. use a rotating motion when inserting the catheter from the tracheostomy. allow 1 min between each pass to reoxygenate the lungs. set the suction pressure to 180 mm hg.

Explanation:

When suctioning a tracheostomy, suction should be limited to 10 - 15 seconds per pass to prevent hypoxemia, so 30 - second suction is incorrect. The catheter should be inserted without applying suction and without a rotating motion. The recommended suction pressure for adult tracheostomy suctioning is usually 100 - 150 mm Hg, so 180 mm Hg is too high. Allowing 1 minute between each pass helps to reoxygenate the lungs, which is a correct action.

Answer:

C. Allow 1 min between each pass to reoxygenate the lungs.