Proactive tracheostomy management increases patient safety and reduces adverse events.
A cleaning regimen performed every four hours reduces the risk of a blocked tracheostomy cannula, complete tube occlusion and respiratory arrest.
Sterile tracheostomy dressings allow secretions from the stoma to be absorbed and prevent pressure damage from the tracheostomy tube.
Regular dressing changes and skin inspection permit timely identification of inflammatory processes and skin excoriation, enabling prompt treatment to be instigated.
Clinical skills articles can help update your practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of:
How this article will change your practice.
How you intend to develop your knowledge and skills regarding tracheostomy management.
Subscribers can upload their reflective accounts at:
Nursing Standard. 30, 30, 34-36. doi: 10.7748/ns.30.30.34.s44
Correspondence Peer reviewAll articles are subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software.
Received: 27 July 2014
Accepted: 13 March 2015
or
Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now
Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more
