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Medical Care Procedures: Suction and Tube Feeding

Some people need medical care at home or in a care facility, such as removing sputum by suction or feeding through a tube. Trained care workers may do these only with a doctor's order, nurse partnership and the person's consent, in limited ways (suction only in the mouth or nose; slow feeding while sitting upright), and must stop and call a nurse at warning signs.

🎬 Step-by-step story

  1. Before any medical care act, four safety gates must open: doctor's order, training, nurse partner and consent.
  2. Why suction? Some people cannot cough out mucus. The grey blobs block the airway and breathing becomes hard.
  3. Suction: move the slider to push the thin tube in. The care worker works only in the green zone, the mouth or nose. Red is too deep.
  4. Tube feeding: food goes by tube to the stomach. Sit the person upright and keep the drip slow. Move both sliders.
  5. Stop signs: cough, blue lips or pain. If a light turns on, stop and call the nurse at once.
  6. Free play. Choose suction or feeding, set the sliders, and see whether it is safe.

Tip: drag the 3D scene to turn it. Use two fingers to zoom.

🤔 Common doubts, cleared

Why are care workers allowed to do medical acts now?

Many people need these every day at home. Trained and certified care workers with a nurse partner can do a small safe set. Without all four gates, they must not.

Why does mucus block breathing?

The airway is narrow. If sputum sticks and the person cannot cough it out, air cannot pass well. Suction removes it. Watch the grey blobs.

Why not go deeper to remove more mucus?

Deeper tubes can hurt the lining, cause bleeding or breathing trouble. Care workers stay in the green zone. A nurse handles deeper work.

Why sit upright for tube feeding?

Gravity helps food stay in the stomach. Lying flat lets it flow back up and into the lungs. See the angle label turn red.

What if I am not sure whether something is a danger sign?

Stop and call the nurse. It is always better to ask. The red lights show the common signs.

Is it all right to do these procedures at home without a nurse?

Follow local law and the doctor. A nurse partner must be available. The free play shows that safe settings are narrow.

Understanding medical care procedures

Medical care procedures are medical acts, like suctioning sputum and tube feeding, that people with long illness or disability need every day. Once only doctors and nurses did them. Now, in many countries, trained and certified care workers may do a small set of them, so people can stay at home.

Four safety gates must all be open: (1) a doctor's written order, (2) the care worker has passed training, (3) a nurse works as partner, checks the person's condition and is reachable, and (4) the person or family consents. If one gate is shut, do not do the act. Wash hands, use clean equipment and write a record each time. Rules differ by country and by place, so always follow local law and the doctor's order.

Suctioning sputum

Sputum (mucus from the chest) normally leaves the body by coughing. Some people are too weak to cough, so sputum blocks the airway. Suction uses a thin tube and a gentle machine to pull the sputum out.

Tube feeding

If a person cannot swallow safely, liquid food goes through a tube into the stomach (through the nose, or through a small opening in the belly called a gastrostomy). Care worker rules:

Stop signs and safety

Stop at once and call the nurse if you see: cough or choking, blue or pale lips or face, pain, vomiting or restlessness, a tube that has moved out, or if you are unsure. Staying within limits is not weakness; it is what keeps the person safe. Always tell the person what you will do, respect privacy, and write a record.

Try it. In the 3D, drag the suction slider past the green zone and see it turn red. Then lower the body angle in feeding and see the stomach light red. Which settings are safe?

Key formulas and definitions

Worked examples

1. A doctor orders suction, but the care worker has not completed training. Can she do it?

No. One gate is shut: training. She asks the nurse to do it and completes training first.

2. During suction a pass has lasted 10 seconds and the person coughs hard. What now?

Remove the tube, let the person breathe and rest. If coughing or colour change continues, call the nurse. Do not start another pass at once.

3. During a feed the person lies at 20 degrees and starts coughing. What should the care worker do?

Stop the feed, sit the person up and call the nurse. 20 degrees is too flat. Food may enter the lungs.

Common mistakes

Practice quiz

1. How many safety gates must be open before a care worker does a medical act?
2. Where may a care worker suction (basic case)?
3. During tube feeding the person should be:
4. The drip rate should be:
5. If lips turn blue during a feed, you should:

Practice: answer these yourself

Type or choose your answer, then press Check. Use a hint if you are stuck; the full solution appears after you answer.

Frequently asked questions

What are medical care procedures?

Medical acts such as suction and tube feeding that people with long-term illness or disability need daily, done by trained staff.

Can a care worker do suction?

In places where the law allows, a trained and certified care worker can do limited suction in the mouth or nose, with a doctor's order and nurse partnership.

What position is best for tube feeding?

Upright, at least about 30 to 45 degrees, during and for a while after the feed.

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