Approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey

Background: Suctioning is an integral component of care for patients who are intubated and ventilated in an intensive care unit (ICU). There appears to be no published data of physiotherapy suctioning practices in Australia or New Zealand. Objective: To describe suctioning practices and the factors...

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Main Authors: Tan, Charissa, Harrold, Megan, Hill, Kylie
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier Inc 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50244
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author Tan, Charissa
Harrold, Megan
Hill, Kylie
author_facet Tan, Charissa
Harrold, Megan
Hill, Kylie
author_sort Tan, Charissa
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Suctioning is an integral component of care for patients who are intubated and ventilated in an intensive care unit (ICU). There appears to be no published data of physiotherapy suctioning practices in Australia or New Zealand. Objective: To describe suctioning practices and the factors which have shaped these practices, of experienced physiotherapists working with adults who are intubated and ventilated in an ICU across Australia and New Zealand. Areas of investigation focused on: (i) suctioning approach (i.e. open vs. closed system); (ii) use of adjuncts to suctioning such as hyperoxygenation, hyperinflation and saline lavage; (iii) use of subglottic suctioning and; (iv) factors influencing suctioning practices. Methods: Electronic surveys were emailed to experienced physiotherapists working in ICUs across Australia and New Zealand which had the capacity to intubate and ventilate adult patients for =24. h. Results: The participation rate was 84.8% (112/132). Closed suction system was used in most ICUs (97/112, 86.6%). Hyperoxygenation was commonly performed on 'all' or 'most' patients before suctioning (71/112, 63.4%), but less frequently after suctioning (38/112, 33.9%). Hyperinflation was infrequently performed on 'all' or 'most' patients before (22/112, 19.6%) or after suctioning (22/112, 19.6%). Saline lavage and subglottic suctioning were infrequently performed on 'all' or 'most' patients (3/112, 2.7%; 17/112, 15.2%, respectively). 'Personal experience' and 'established practice in the ICU' had the greatest influence on suctioning practices. Conclusions: Most ICUs in Australia and New Zealand are equipped for closed system suctioning. As hyperoxygenation minimises desaturation during suctioning, there may be scope for a larger proportion of physiotherapists to use this adjunct. The practice of hyperinflation before and after suctioning was uncommon despite the emerging evidence for improved lung compliance with this procedure. Subglottic suctioning was infrequently available as a choice for physiotherapists despite the strong evidence, which suggests an evidence-practice gap. © 2017 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-502442019-02-12T01:18:23Z Approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey Tan, Charissa Harrold, Megan Hill, Kylie Background: Suctioning is an integral component of care for patients who are intubated and ventilated in an intensive care unit (ICU). There appears to be no published data of physiotherapy suctioning practices in Australia or New Zealand. Objective: To describe suctioning practices and the factors which have shaped these practices, of experienced physiotherapists working with adults who are intubated and ventilated in an ICU across Australia and New Zealand. Areas of investigation focused on: (i) suctioning approach (i.e. open vs. closed system); (ii) use of adjuncts to suctioning such as hyperoxygenation, hyperinflation and saline lavage; (iii) use of subglottic suctioning and; (iv) factors influencing suctioning practices. Methods: Electronic surveys were emailed to experienced physiotherapists working in ICUs across Australia and New Zealand which had the capacity to intubate and ventilate adult patients for =24. h. Results: The participation rate was 84.8% (112/132). Closed suction system was used in most ICUs (97/112, 86.6%). Hyperoxygenation was commonly performed on 'all' or 'most' patients before suctioning (71/112, 63.4%), but less frequently after suctioning (38/112, 33.9%). Hyperinflation was infrequently performed on 'all' or 'most' patients before (22/112, 19.6%) or after suctioning (22/112, 19.6%). Saline lavage and subglottic suctioning were infrequently performed on 'all' or 'most' patients (3/112, 2.7%; 17/112, 15.2%, respectively). 'Personal experience' and 'established practice in the ICU' had the greatest influence on suctioning practices. Conclusions: Most ICUs in Australia and New Zealand are equipped for closed system suctioning. As hyperoxygenation minimises desaturation during suctioning, there may be scope for a larger proportion of physiotherapists to use this adjunct. The practice of hyperinflation before and after suctioning was uncommon despite the emerging evidence for improved lung compliance with this procedure. Subglottic suctioning was infrequently available as a choice for physiotherapists despite the strong evidence, which suggests an evidence-practice gap. © 2017 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. 2016 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50244 10.1016/j.aucc.2017.01.002 Elsevier Inc fulltext
spellingShingle Tan, Charissa
Harrold, Megan
Hill, Kylie
Approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey
title Approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey
title_full Approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey
title_fullStr Approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey
title_full_unstemmed Approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey
title_short Approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey
title_sort approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in australia and new zealand: a cross-sectional survey
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50244