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Suctioning Practices for Physiotherapists - What Does the Evidence Say?

Suctioning Practices for Physiotherapists - What Does the Evidence Say?

Suctioning Practices for Physiotherapists - What Does the Evidence Say?

CA$75.00
This course includes
Lifetime access after purchase
Certificate of completion
This course was recorded in November 2022

Overview

Airway suctioning is an important yet invasive healthcare treatment technique used to clear secretions in individuals with pulmonary compromise. This procedure is particularly vital in scenarios managed by physiotherapists specializing in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, acute medical settings, or pulmonary rehabilitation. The primary goal of airway suctioning is to effectively clear airway secretions, facilitating improved respiratory function and patient comfort.

Suctioning requires the insertion of a flexible suction catheter into an individual’s oropharynx, nasopharynx, or trachea, followed by the application of negative pressure during catheter withdrawal to remove substances from the airway. Suctioning can be performed directly through the nose or mouth or using an artificial airway, such as an endotracheal tube (ETT), a tracheostomy tube, a nasopharyngeal airway or an oral airway.

Whether in acute care environments, rehabilitation settings, or specialized cardiorespiratory units, the application of suctioning techniques plays a crucial role in optimizing respiratory outcomes and enhancing overall patient well-being. Over the past three decades, multiple systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines for suctioning have been published. Despite this, there is a wide variety in the way that physiotherapists perform tracheal suctioning. In this course, we will establish and reinforce evidence-based suctioning procedures and techniques aimed at maximizing patient outcomes while minimizing the potential for complications.

 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this online course participants will be able to:

  1. Explore techniques and strategies for tracheal suctioning and gain a deep understanding of the best practices in respiratory physiotherapy.

  2. Identify indications and contraindications for tracheal suctioning.

  3. Anticipate and mitigate potential complications associated with tracheal suctioning by following suction guidelines.

  4. Delve into the latest clinical practices guidelines that govern optimal tracheal suctioning practices, ensuring adherence to clinical  standards and promoting patient safety and comfort.

 

Audience

This respiratory physiotherapy continuing professional development course is highly recommended for physiotherapists who perform tracheal suctioning.

 

The Presenter: Dr. Erin Miller, PT

Professor Erin Miller is a physiotherapist and assistant professor in the school of physical therapy at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. Dr. Miller completed her PhD from the University of Toronto in Rehabilitation Science focused on the assessment of clinical competence for health care professionals who perform airway suctioning. Erin Miller is passionate about helping to create opportunities for practicing physiotherapists to engage in clinical research and education within the area of cardiorespiratory practice. She has a keen interest in educational scholarship and the use of evidence to inform pedagogical practices.

The instructors
Canadian Physiotherapy Association

As the vital partner for the profession, the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) leads, advocates, and inspires excellence and innovation to promote health. CPA’s goal is to provide exceptional service, valuable information and connections to the profession of physiotherapy, across Canada and around the world.

Cardiorespiratory Division

The Cardiorespiratory Division (CRD) unites physiotherapists with a special interest in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy. We provide a valuable forum for our members to share information relevant to working with clients across the lifespan and in all areas of cardiorespiratory.

To facilitate knowledge sharing and encourage networking, we produce our newsletter, the Gas Exchange, three times per year and relay information on job opportunities, online resources, courses and other educational events.

Material included in this course
  • Suctioning Practices for Physiotherapists - What Does the Evidence Say?
  • Welcome!
  • Slides
  • Introduction
  • Indications for Suctioning
  • Contraindictions for Suctioning
  • Potential Complications
  • Pain and Distress with Suctioning
  • Suctioning Practices
  • Surveys of Practice for Health Care Professional Who Perform Suctioning
  • Examining the Evidence
  • What Do Patients and Caregivers Value?
  • Implications for Practice
  • Questions
  • Quiz
  • What's Next?
  • Feedback
FAQs

As part of our partnership with the CPA, we offer its members discounts on courses and Embodia Memberships. Learn more about the partnership on this page.

In order for the discount to be applied, you first need to authenticate your CPA membership. This is an important step as this is how Embodia 'knows' that you are a CPA member. 
 
To authenticate as a CPA member, you need to sign in the CPA portal on this page, sign in to your CPA account, and then click the button on the page. 
 
Please note that your email address on your CPA account must match your email address on Embodia. If needed, you can update your information on Embodia as outlined in this guide.
 


Once you have completed the course, a certificate of completion (including learning hours and course information) will be generated. You can download this certificate at any time. To learn more about course certificates on Embodia please visit this guide.

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