NORCET 1 - 2020
Medical & Surgical Nursing
Easy
The Vacuum suction pressure in adults is?
Appeared in: NORCET 1 - 2020
Explanation
- The recommended vacuum suction pressure for adults is between 100 and 150 mmHg.
- 120 mmHg falls comfortably within this range, making it both safe and effective for clearing airway secretions.
- This pressure is strong enough to remove mucus but gentle enough to minimize the risk of trauma to the delicate lining of the airway.
- Using pressures outside this range can lead to either ineffective suctioning (if too low) or significant complications (if too high).
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option B: A pressure of 170 mmHg is excessively high and dangerous for adult suctioning. It surpasses the maximum recommended pressure of 150 mmHg.
- Option C: A pressure of 80 mmHg is generally insufficient to effectively clear secretions from an adult's airway.
- Option D: A pressure of 60 mmHg is significantly too low for an adult and would be ineffective.
Related Visual
- Visual 1: Table - A clear table comparing the recommended suction pressure ranges (in mmHg) for neonates, infants, children, and adults.
- Visual 2: Infographic - An infographic illustrating the correct technique for airway suctioning, highlighting key steps like pre-oxygenation, limiting suction time to 10-15 seconds, and applying suction only during withdrawal.
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Safe vacuum suction pressure for adults during airway suctioning as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Using the correct suction pressure is a critical patient safety measure. Incorrect pressures can lead to serious complications, including hypoxemia, cardiac arrhythmias, bronchospasm, and permanent damage to the tracheal mucosa.
- Nurses must always check the suction gauge before starting the procedure to ensure it is set to the appropriate level for the patient's age and condition.
- What if? If a patient has extremely thick, tenacious secretions, the nurse should not simply increase the suction pressure. The correct first steps are to ensure the patient is adequately hydrated and to consider using a larger diameter suction catheter, while still staying within the safe pressure range.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the key terms in the question: 'Vacuum suction pressure' and 'adults'.
- This is a factual recall question that requires knowledge of standard clinical parameters.
- Recall the recommended suction pressure ranges for different age groups.
- The safe range for an adult is 100-150 mmHg.
- Evaluate the given options against this range.
- Select the option that falls within the established safe and effective range for an adult.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Safe vacuum suction pressure for adults during airway suctioning.
- Stem keywords: Vacuum suction, pressure, adults
- Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
- Negative lead-in flag: false
Question ID
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Practise the full NORCET 1 - 2020
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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