Effective (or controlled) coughing has just enough force to loosen and carry mucus through the airways without causing them to narrow and collapse. For people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), this saves energy. Show
What should I know about controlled coughing?COPD can cause your lungs to produce excess mucus, leading to frequent coughing. Not all coughs are effective in clearing excess mucus from the lungs. Explosive or uncontrolled coughing causes airways to collapse and spasm, trapping mucus. The effective, or controlled, cough comes from deep within the lungs and has just enough force to loosen and carry mucus through the airways without causing them to narrow and collapse. Controlled coughing saves energy and therefore, oxygen. Controlled coughing techniqueTo cough effectively:
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Mucus clearing devicesIf you have trouble coughing up secretions, your physician may prescribe a hand-held mucus clearing device. These devices include the Flutter device, the Acapella® (known as the ‘pickle’), the RC Cornet®, Lung Flute (lungflute®), and the Aerobika®. To use these devices, place a mouthpiece in your mouth, seal your lips around it, and take a deep breath using your diaphragm. Breathe out slowly with a moderate force through the device for as long as you can. The increased pressure in the airways and the oscillations created by the device will give you the feeling to cough. When you feel the urge to cough, take a deep breath in, hold for 1-3 seconds and cough to loosen the mucus. Get useful, helpful and relevant health + wellness information
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In This Section The upper airway warms, cleans and moistens the air we breathe. The trach tube bypasses these mechanisms, so that the air moving through the tube is cooler, dryer and not as clean. In response to these changes, the body produces more mucus. Suctioning clears mucus from the tracheostomy tube and is essential for proper breathing. Also, secretions left in the tube could become contaminated and a chest infection could develop. Avoid suctioning too frequently as this could lead to more secretion buildup. Removing mucus from trach tube without suctioning
When to suctionSuctioning is important to prevent a mucus plug from blocking the tube and stopping the patient's breathing. Suctioning should be considered
The secretions should be white or clear. If they start to change color, (e.g. yellow, brown or green) this may be a sign of infection. If the changed color persists for more than three days or if it is difficult to keep the tracheostomy tube intact, call your surgeon's office. If there is blood in the secretions (it may look more pink than red), you should initially increase humidity and suction more gently. A Swedish or artificial nose (HME), which is a cap that can be attached to the tracheostomy tube, may help to maintain humidity. The cap contains a filter to prevent particles from entering the airway and maintains the patient's own humidity. Putting the patient in the bathroom with the door closed and shower on will increase the humidity immediately. If the patient coughs up or has bright red blood mucus suctioned, or if the patient develops a fever, call your surgeon's office immediately. How to suctionEquipment
Whether you're crossing the country or the globe, we make it easy to access world-class care at Johns Hopkins. What intervention can the nurse provide to decrease the viscosity of secretions?Increasing the humidity will decrease the viscosity of secretions.
Which interventions can help patients expectorate sputum?Breathing techniques, such as active cycle of breathing, body positioning and manual techniques, including percussion, shaking and vibrations, can also be used to loosen secretions and thus facilitate expectoration.
What is the nursing intervention for cough?Nursing Care Plan for Cough 1. What are nursing interventions for ineffective airway clearance?Nursing Interventions for Ineffective Airway Clearance. Position to decrease secretions. ... . Suction as needed. ... . Mobilize secretions. ... . Give respiratory medications. ... . Involve respiratory therapy. ... . Encourage fluid intake. ... . Discuss lifestyle modifications. ... . Educate on signs of ineffective airway clearance and prevention.. |