A nurse is assessing equipment needs in order to perform tracheostomy suctioning on a client. Which of the following pieces of equipment should the nurse gather for the procedure?

A. Tracheostomy suctioning can temporarily decrease oxygen levels and stimulate the vagus nerve, increasing the risk for hypoxemia, bradycardia, and dysrhythmias. Continuous or intermittent monitoring with a pulse oximeter allows the nurse to assess the client’s oxygen saturation before, during, and after suctioning and to stop the procedure if oxygen levels drop. This makes the pulse oximeter a critical safety component of the procedure. B. A Yankauer catheter is designed for oral suctioning of the mouth and oropharynx. Tracheostomy suctioning requires a sterile suction catheter that can be inserted into the tracheostomy tube. Using a Yankauer would be ineffective and inappropriate for airway suctioning through a tracheostomy. C. A nasal cannula delivers oxygen through the nose and is not appropriate for clients with a tracheostomy. If supplemental oxygen is needed during or after suctioning, it should be delivered via the tracheostomy tube or a tracheostomy mask, not through the nasal passages. D. Sterile water is not routinely required for tracheostomy suctioning. If fluid is used, sterile normal saline may be prescribed, although routine saline instillation is generally discouraged due to the risk of pushing secretions deeper into the airway and causing hypoxia.