Effectiveness of endotracheal suctioning with normal saline Versus without normal saline on airway clearance among intubated patients at Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai

AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the Effectiveness of endotracheal suctioning with normal saline versus without normal saline on airway clearance among intubated patients at Government Rajaji hospital, Madurai. OBJECTIVES: To assess the level of airway clearance among the intubated patients on mechanical ventilator in both group 1 and group11 and to associate the level of airway clearance among GroupI and Group II intubated patients with their selected socio demographic and clinical variable. HYPOTHESES: There is a significant difference between Group I and Group II after endotracheal suctioning on airway clearance among intubated patients. There is a significant difference between the pretest and post test scores of airway clearance in both group1 and in group II after endotracheal suctioning. There is a significant association between the level of airway clearance among intubated patients with their selected socio demographic data and clinical variables.. METHODOLOGY: A True experimental design was used. 60 subjects were selected by consecutive sampling method. Intervention Endotracheal suctioning without normal saline was given to the group1 and endotracheal suctioning with normal saline was given to the group 11 every second hourly and also on demand basis from 7am to 7pm. Pretest before endotracheal suctioning and post test 10 minutes after the last suctioning at 7pm were done with structured observational check list. FINDINGS: There was a significant reduction score 5.9% in group I patients and 29.2% of reduction score in group II. There was significant association between pretest level of airway clearance score and Younger, females and with less duration of admission in hospital were having more reduced air clearance score than others