Identify the article in the following image.

DSSSB October 2024

Medical & Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: DSSSB October 2024

Explanation

The device shown is a portable suction machine, also known as an aspirator, used to clear airways.
Key identifying features visible in the image include a clear collection canister for fluids, a pressure gauge and regulator knob, and a compact design with a handle for portability.
The primary function of this device is to apply negative pressure via a catheter to remove secretions like mucus, blood, or vomit from a patient's mouth or airway.

Option B: An oxygen concentrator is a device that provides supplemental oxygen to a patient. It does not have a collection canister for secretions and is used for oxygen therapy, not airway clearance.
Option C: LAMP pump is not a standard or recognized term for a medical device with this appearance or function in general nursing practice.
Option D: An ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) machine is a large, complex life-support system used in ICUs to oxygenate blood outside the body. It is not a small, portable device.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Identification of common medical equipment as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Portable suction units are critical for maintaining a patent airway, especially in emergencies, during patient transport, and at the bedside for patients who cannot clear their own secretions (e.g., post-operative, unconscious, or neuromuscularly weak patients).
Nurses must know how to operate the machine correctly, including setting the appropriate suction pressure (typically 80-120 mmHg for adults) and using the correct technique to prevent patient injury, such as hypoxia or mucosal trauma.
What if? If the patient has very thick, tenacious secretions, the nurse should ensure adequate patient hydration, select a catheter of the appropriate size (no more than half the internal diameter of the artificial airway), and may need to use the higher end of the safe pressure range. Instilling normal saline is generally not recommended as it can wash bacteria into the lower airways.

How to Approach the Question

First, carefully observe the image and identify the main components of the device: a motor/pump unit, a collection jar, a pressure gauge, and tubing ports.
Note the device's size and the presence of a handle, which indicates it is designed for portability.
Analyze the function of each component. A collection jar is for fluids, and a pressure gauge indicates the application of suction.
Evaluate the given options based on this visual analysis.
Eliminate options that do not match the device's function. An 'Oxygen concentrator' provides gas, not suction. An 'ECMO machine' is a much larger, non-portable life-support system.
Conclude that the features are consistent only with a 'Portable suction machine'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Q0uMey1e2QlUZOEroMUXz8

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 5 p. 11-13