Emergency equipment

The following emergency equipment must be kept with an inpatient at all times:

  • Functioning suction facilities (where centralised suction is not available, as is often the case in the community, independent portable suction units should be used.)
  • Appropriate sized suction catheters
  • Yankauer sucker
  • Non-rebreathe circuit and/or adult bag-valve-mask with reservoir with tubing*
  • Oxygen*
  • Spare tracheostomy tubes (one of the same size and one a size smaller) usually the same type but must be a type that can easily be inserted in an emergency situation
  • Tracheal dilators*
  • Tracheostomy disconnection wedge
  • Stitch cutter ( if sutures present)*
  • Water soluble gel

*Item may not always be required in patients cared for in the community.