Oxygen saturation and secretion weight after endotracheal suctioning

Endotracheal suctioning is a common aspect of nursing care to mechanicallyventilated patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two suctioning techniques on oxygen saturation (SaO2) and the amount of drained secretions. A quasi-experimental study of 103 mechanically-ventilated patients was conducted from two tertiary hospitals in Greece. Two suctioning techniques were applied to each patient: with normal saline instillation and without. Normal saline instillation was associated with increased secretions' weight (p