How Many Suction Regulators Do I Need?

“How many suction regulators do I need?” It’s a common question with a complex answer. It depends on your hospital’s layout, patient acuity, procedures performed, and whether regulators are wall-mounted, portable, or assigned to individual devices.

Rather than offering a generic ratio like “four per bed,” it is more helpful to look at how suction is used in specific clinical scenarios. Here is a breakdown by clinical setting and application to help you decide what is right for your facility.

Emergency Suction

Every hospital must support code events. For each crash cart or emergency airway bag, you should assign:

• One portable suction regulator
• One portable suction canister
• One power source (often wall outlet or battery)

At a minimum, plan one regulator for each crash cart or portable airway kit in your emergency zones. In trauma or ICU environments, keep one portable unit for every two to three rooms. For field response, build redundancy into transport kits with regulators dedicated to intubation or airway rescue.

Ventilator or Quad Suction

Mechanical ventilators often require their own suction source to evacuate secretions. Vent circuits with inline suction also need regulated pressure control.

In ventilator units or step-down ICU settings, budget:

• One dedicated wall regulator per ventilator
• Additional regulators if patients use closed-system catheters or have multiple ports in use

Some hospitals include “quad stations” with four regulators in one wall console for maximum flexibility.

Neogastric Drainage

Patients with NG tubes or gastric suctioning needs will typically require a separate suction regulator dedicated to:

• Intermittent low suction (e.g., 80–120 mmHg)
• Long-term management of GI output

If multiple patients use this functionality simultaneously, assign individual regulators. You can also consider centralized collection with dedicated regulators at nurse stations if demand is high.

Subglottic Suction

Subglottic suctioning helps prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and has become a standard of care in many ICUs. The CASS (Continuous Aspiration of Subglottic Secretions) technique uses low continuous suction.

Facilities implementing CASS protocols should dedicate:

• One low-suction regulator per ventilated patient using subglottic devices
• Backup units for high-risk units or ventilator weaning stations

Chest Drainage

Post-op cardiac, thoracic, or trauma patients often use pleural or mediastinal drains that require suction. These systems may be:

• Water seal only
• Regulated suction via wall-mounted regulator
• Self-contained with onboard vacuum

For regulated setups, assign one regulator per drainage system. Do not share across multiple drains unless the manufacturer specifically supports that configuration.

Summary: Use Case-Driven Planning Works Best

There is no universal ratio for how many suction regulators your hospital should stock. The right number depends on:

• Number of crash carts and code teams
• Number of ventilators and ICU beds
• Clinical protocols (e.g., VAP prevention, chest drainage, gastric decompression)
• Equipment layout and mobility needs

Plan based on use cases, not floor space. Assign regulators where real-world workflow requires them, not just where the wall has an outlet.