Wood C J
Intensive Care Unit, Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, UK.
Intensive Crit Care Nurs. 1998 Jun;14(3):124-36. doi: 10.1016/s0964-3397(98)80375-3.
Endotracheal suctioning (ETS) is a necessary practice carried out in intensive care units. In involves the removal of pulmonary secretions from a patient with an artificial airway in place. All intensive care nurses should be aware when performing this intervention of the potential hazards a patient is exposed to, and should endeavour to prevent or minimize these. This literature review explores the criteria available to indicate a need for ETS and discusses the potential adverse effects of ETS and how these can be avoided during the procedure. The question is raised as to the frequency with which the procedure should be performed. The current dilemma facing nurses is the overwhelming view that ETS should be performed only when indicated as necessary by assessment, to minimize the exposure of the patient to the hazards of ETS, but also recognition that ETS is a necessary procedure to maintain a patent airway and clear secretions. As nurses are accountable for all aspects of their practice, they need to be able to make an informed choice about the frequency with which ETS is performed. It is hoped that this review will increase nurses' awareness of the potential hazards surrounding ETS, and enable them to question their practices regarding their ability to assess individual patient needs and determine the frequency with which ETS should be performed.
气管内吸痰（ETS）是重症监护病房中一项必要的操作。它涉及从有气管插管的患者体内清除肺部分泌物。所有重症监护护士在进行此项操作时都应意识到患者可能面临的潜在风险，并应努力预防或尽量减少这些风险。这篇文献综述探讨了表明需要进行气管内吸痰的可用标准，并讨论了气管内吸痰的潜在不良影响以及如何在操作过程中避免这些影响。文中还提出了关于该操作应进行频率的问题。护士目前面临的困境是，一方面普遍认为只有在评估表明必要时才应进行气管内吸痰，以尽量减少患者接触气管内吸痰的风险，另一方面也认识到气管内吸痰是维持气道通畅和清除分泌物的必要操作。由于护士要对其操作的各个方面负责，他们需要能够就是否进行气管内吸痰以及进行的频率做出明智的选择。希望这篇综述能提高护士对气管内吸痰潜在风险的认识，并使他们能够审视自己评估个体患者需求以及确定气管内吸痰频率的能力的做法。
