Abstract

PURPOSE
Regarding the respiratory function of patients with an artificial airway, this study compared the effects between normal saline with chest vibration and normal saline with expectorant mixture, administered before endotracheal suction.
METHODS
The study was conducted in the ICUs of one university hospital located in Incheon. The experimental group I received normal saline with chest vibration administered before endotracheal suction while the experimental group II received normal saline with expectorant mixture administered before endotracheal suction. For respiratory function, PaO2, PaCO2, and O2 saturation were measured by ABGA at 3 minutes after endotracheal suction for both pre-test and post-test.
RESULTS
The two groups were not different significantly regarding PaO2 level and O2 saturation after the treatments, while, the experimental group II had lower PaCO2 level than the experimental group I after the treatments (t = 2.075, p = .042). For experimental group II, post-test score of PaCO2 level was significantly lower than that of the pre-test score (t = 1.842, p = .075).
CONCLUSION
The administration of normal saline with expectorant mixture before endotracheal suction reduced PaCO2 level and improved the respiratory function.

• Keywords: Suction, Lung, Vibration, Expectorants, Respiratory function tests