Emergency suction equipment: barriers to use and effective interventions.

ABSTRACT: Both investigators had personally experienced situations when they were let down by emergency suctioning equipment on the wards: due to either lack of, or operator inability to use, equipment. Failings in emergency suction have been highlighted in a recent National Patient Safety Agency signal. We focused on improving the usability of cardiac arrest trolley suction: a complex process involving turning a small, hidden lever. We produced three clearly visible bright labels which provided simple prompts to the operator. Two wards and two sampling periods were used in a randomised controlled design. Medical, nursing and allied healthcare staff participated. A scenario of a vomiting patient was given and staff were asked to use emergency suction. This was timed. On the control ward, 5/10 staff

SUBMITTER: Carpenter A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4652700 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature