Nose Suctioning Using a suction machine at home (1948)

Key points below

Using a suction machine at home

Why is nose suctioning needed?

Nose suctioning is done to get mucous out of the nose. Mucous may make it hard for your child to breathe. Suctioning the nose will help your child breathe easier.

Supplies needed

Your child’s health care provider will tell you what size suction tube kit to use. The size of the tube depends on your child’s size.

How is it done?

Your child may move around or try to pull the tube when you suction. This could cause the nose to get sore. You may need someone to help you hold your child still. Or, you could wrap your child’s arms close to their body with a blanket while you suction. Be sure to take the blanket off as soon as you are done. Follow these steps:

1. Get your supplies.
2. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water. Dry your hands with a clean towel.
3. Open the suction tube kit.
4. Pour some water into a clean cup or bowl.
5. Open the normal saline drops.
6. Put on the gloves from the suction tube kit. You will use one hand to hold the tube. Use the other hand to touch everything else.
7. Pick the tube up and connect it to the suction machine.
8. Turn on the suction machine. Teaching sheet #1462 -Portable Home Suction will teach you how to use the suction machine.
9. Test the suction. Put the tube in the bowl of water. Put your finger over the suction port. Suction a small amount of water with the tube. This will check the suction. It will also make the suction tube easier to put in your child’s nose.
10. If needed, put two or three drops of normal saline into one side of your child’s nose. This may help loosen thick mucous.
11. Measure for correct suction depth. Put the tube near the outside of your child’s face. Measure from the tip of the nose to the tip of the ear lobe with the tube. Keep your fingers on this spot so you do not suction too far.
12. Gently put the tip of the tube into the nostril.
13. Point the suction tube straight back toward the ear, not up toward the eye.

14. After the tube is in, close the port as you pull the tube out of the nose. Do not hold the port closed longer than 10 seconds each time you enter the nose.
15. After you are done suctioning your child, suction a small amount of water into the tube to clear it of mucous. The mucous and water will go into the storage jar of the suction machine. Empty this storage jar every day. Teaching sheet #1462- Portable Home Suction will teach you how to clean the machine.

Repeat steps #11 to 15 until most of the mucous is gone from both sides of your child’s nose. When suctioning is done, rinse the tube one last time. Turn the suction machine off and take out the tube. Store the tube in the original container. You may re-use the same tube for one day (24 hours).

For other health and wellness information, check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents

 

ALERT

Call your child’s doctor, nurse, or clinic if you have any questions or concerns or if your child has special health care needs that were not covered by this information.