wound care
Tracheostomy
Tracheostomy care Instructed patient patients with a tracheostomy have altered upper airway function and may have increased oral care
requirements. Mouth care should assessed by the nurse caring for the patient.
Instructed patient how can I prevent infections. Wash your hands. Always wash your hands before and after you care for your trach. Clean your trach equipment as directed. Use clean or sterile trach care methods to clean your equipment. Clean the area around your trach as directed. The area around your trach is called the stoma. Use a trach cover as directed. Do not use a trach cover unless your healthcare provider says it is okay. A trach cover sits over the opening to your trach tube. It prevents dirt and other foreign bodies from getting into your airway.
Instructed patient to always keep supplies at your patient's bedside for suctioning; tube and stoma care; delivery of oxygen, heat, and humidity; tracheostomy tube replacement; and artificial ventilation.
Instructed patient in emergency care These pages will cover prevention of an emergency situation, and what to do if: Your loved one has trouble breathing or stops breathing You cannot insert a trach tube The trach falls out.
Tracheostomy care Instructed patient caregiver It is important to routinely clean the skin around the opening of the tracheostomy (stoma). This
will help prevent skin irritation and the build-up of secretions.
Tracheostomy care Instructed patient caregiver Signs and symptoms of difficulty breathing are: Retractions Pulling of the skin between the ribs, under the breastbone or around the trach itself. Also symptoms of difficulty breathing are: Sweaty and pale skin, a person is sweaty and pale and seems to be working hard to breathe while at rest, dusky lips or nail beds. The lips or nail beds look dark, dusky or blue.
Instructed patient caregiver clean technique includes tracheostomy care: hand washing, using gloves is optional, re-using a trach tube and/or inner cannula that has been properly cleaned, using prepared sterile water and normal saline, re-using the same trach ties if they are properly cleaned, re-using suction catheters if they are properly cleaned ( up to 8 hrs or 3/per day )
Tracheostomy Care Instructed patient long term complications include acute airway obstruction, blocked tube, Infection localized to stoma or
tracheo-bronchial
Tracheostomy care Instructed patient to contact the doctors or nurse if there are any signs of infection at the stoma site including
any redness, odor, swelling.
Instructed patient how do I care for my skin around my trach tube. Clean your skin at least once each day. You may need to clean it more often if you cough up a lot of thick mucus. You may need someone to help you clean your skin. Wash your hands and put on gloves. This will prevent infection. Suction the area around your stoma. This will help remove mucus .Clean your skin around the stoma, clean the tube flanges, change wet or dirty trach ties., place a gauze between your skin and the flanges and check your skin every day for signs of infection. Look for redness or swelling of the skin around your tube. Also look for pus, bleeding, or a rash.