During suctioning of an 11-year-old child, which action should the specialist take if secretions are difficult to remove and suction pressure is at 85 mm Hg?

Increasing the suction pressure is an appropriate response when secretions are difficult to remove, especially in the context of managing airway maintenance in a pediatric patient. Maintaining effective airway management is vital, and when facing thick or tenacious secretions, it may be necessary to enhance suction capabilities to clear the airway more efficiently.

Suction pressures that are too low may not adequately remove secretions, which can lead to obstruction, respiratory distress, or even infection. In this case, it would be important to ensure that the suction pressure used is effective without exceeding safe limits for pediatric patients, which is generally between 60 to 100 mm Hg. By adjusting the pressure to the higher end of the appropriate range, the specialist can increase the likelihood of clearing the airway effectively without increasing the risk of trauma to the airway structures.

Other potential actions, such as suctioning more frequently, may not address the underlying issue of suction pressure being insufficient for thick secretions. Replacing the humidifier with an artificial nose does not directly improve secretions that need to be removed, and instilling normal saline into the airway is generally not recommended as it can introduce risk of aspiration and may not effectively assist with the removal of secretions.