title: Minitracheostomy: an alternative to "blind" endotracheal suctioning.
abstract: The critical care nurse is frequently challenged to clear respiratory secretions for patients with thick, copious mucous and a weak cough. The traditional interventions nurses use are chest physiotherapy, incentive spirometry, and "blind" endotracheal suctioning to facilitate the removal of secretions, but these are sometimes ineffective and cause complications. Nurses who identify patients needing a more effective way to remove secretions can request consideration of a new method, suctioning through a minitracheostomy.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Callaghan
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Doremus
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000451:nursing*; D013396:Suction / Q000451:nursing*; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000451:nursing*