A nebulizer is a way to deliver medications directly to your lungs to help you breathe easier.  Nebulizers add moisture to the medicine and produce a mist that you breathe through a mouthpiece.  Your Hospice nurse will show you how to use a nebulizer.

How to Use a Nebulizer

Follow these steps for preparing and giving a nebulizer treatment:

• Wash your hands before preparing your treatment.
• Gather the equipment you will need, including:
• nebulizer machine
• T piece
• medication cup
• corrugated tubing
• mouthpiece
• medication (The medication is usually delivered to you in pre-measured doses)
• Unscrew the medication cup. Pour the medication into the bottom of the medicine cup.
• Screw the top of the medication cup on.
• Attach the T piece to the top of the medication cup.
• Place the mouthpiece on one end of the T piece and the corrugated tubing on the other end of the T piece.
• Attach the long, thin tubing to the machine and the other end to the bottom or side of the medication cup.
• Place yourself in an upright position, by sitting or raising the head of your bed.
• Turn the machine on.

Breathe normally until all the medicine in the medicine cup is gone.  You may need to shake it periodically to get all the medicine nebulized.

Care of the Nebulizer

The nebulizer should be cleaned daily to prevent clogging and infection.  Follow these steps to clean your nebulizer equipment:

Wash the medicine cup in hot, mouth piece and t-piece in warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly at the end of each day.

Please call your Suburban Hospice at 833-888-7222 if you have any questions about using a nebulizer.