12: Tracheostomy Care and Suctioning
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- 12.1: Tracheostomy Care and Suctioning Introduction
- Tracheostomy suctioning uses a sterile catheter that is inserted through a tracheostomy tube into a patient’s trachea. A tracheostomy tube is a tube that is inserted through a surgical opening in the neck to the trachea to create an artificial airway. Tracheostomies require routine care to prevent infection and obstruction, as well as frequent suctioning to maintain a patent airway. Tracheostomy care and suctioning are performed collaboratively by nurses and respiratory therapists.
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- 12.2: Basic Concepts Related to Suctioning
- It is important for the nurse to have an understanding of the underlying structures of the respiratory system before performing suctioning to ensure that care is given to protect sensitive tissues and that airways are appropriately assessed during the suctioning procedure.
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- 12.5: Checklist for Tracheostomy Suctioning and Sample Documentation
- Tracheostomy suctioning may be performed with open or closed technique. Open suctioning requires disconnection of the patient from the oxygen source, whereas closed suctioning uses an inline suctioning catheter that does not require disconnection.
Thumbnail: Tracheostomy tubes. (CC BY 3.0; Klaus D. Peter via Wikimedia Commons )