A portrait of First Lady Anna Harrison, wife of President William Henry Harrison Anna Harrison. Courtesy US Library of Congress. She never even entered the White House -- she had delayed coming to Washington, and had not yet traveled there when her husband, William Harrison, died a month after his inauguration.
When the patient is unable to breathe or there is damage or swelling in the airway that prevents air from moving in and out of the lungs, intubation may be necessary to save the patientâs life. Some states permit RNs to intubate patients for emergency purposes or to administer anesthesia.
Comatose patients are typically deemed critical and will need to be monitored by the nurse carefully throughout the shift. The comatose patient will have a mechanical ventilation device to assist in their breathing. Aspiration can cause death or other emergent health problems in this delicate patient population. As the nurse, it is your job to make sure the comatose patient is draining secretions properly (chest tube drainage, oral drainage, vacuum drainage system). By checking the status of the drainage, you can prevent aspiration of liquids, bodily fluids, or anything else that should not be aspirated.