Assist Cough: A Safer Plan for Clearing Mucus

Practice should take place while the person is stable, not for the first time during a frightening infection. The written plan can specify the preferred sitting position, breathing cue, level of assistance, rest period, and circumstances that require a call to the care team.

Families and support workers should also know the person’s normal breathing sounds and usual ability to clear saliva.

The plan needs review after a hospital admission, new weakness, swallowing change, chest injury, or alteration in respiratory equipment. A controlled, energy-conscious technique is safer than repeatedly demanding a harder cough without knowing why the first attempt failed.

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