Endotracheal suction in intensive care: A point prevalence study of current practice in New Zealand and Australia.

BACKGROUND: Despite the evidence and available guidelines about endotracheal suction (ETS), a discrepancy between published guidelines and clinical practice persists. To date, ETS practice in the adult intensive care unit (ICU) population across New Zealand and Australia has not been described.

OBJECTIVE: To describe ICU nurses' ETS practice in New Zealand and Australia including the triggers for performing endotracheal suction.

METHODS: A single day, prospective observational, binational, multicentre point prevalence study in New Zealand and Australian ICUs. All adult patients admitted at 10:00 on the study day were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: In addition to patient demographic data, we assessed triggers for ETS, suction canister pressures, use of preoxygenation, measures of oxygenation, and ETS at extubation.

RESULTS: There were 682 patients in the ICUs on the study day, and 230 were included in the study. Three of 230 patients were excluded for missing data. A total of 1891 ETS events were performed on 227 patients during the study day, a mean of eight interventions per patient. The main triggers reported were audible (n = 385, 63%) and visible (n = 239, 39%) secretions. Less frequent triggers included following auscultation (n = 142, 23%), reduced oxygen saturations (n = 140, 22%), and ventilator waveforms (n = 53, 9%). Mean suction canister pressure was -337 mmHg (standard deviation = 189), 67% of patients received preoxygenation (n = 413), and ETS at extubation was performed by 84% of nurses.

CONCLUSION: Some practices were inconsistent with international guidelines, in particular concerning patient assessment for ETS and suction canister pressure.