Tracheostomy Essay

Introduction: A tracheostomy is placed when the upper airway is compromised, and the patient cannot breathe on his or her own. A common reason for needing this in the pediatric population is due to a subglottic stenosis (SGS) (Deutsch, 2010). Although an SGS can be congenital, most are the result of intubation, as the subglottis cannot stretch to accommodate the endotracheal tube (ETT). While many acquired SGS happen from 2 weeks to 10 years old, the majority of these are before the age of 1 (Santer & D'Alessandro, 2016).
Anatomy and Physiology: In an individual not requiring a tracheostomy, oxygen would enter through the nose or mouth and into the trachea. There is a natural gag reflex, coughing and swallowing capabilities that protect
Deficient knowledge related to lack of exposure and unfamiliarity with information as evidenced by verbalization of the problem; and readiness of enhanced knowledge related to tracheostomy care as evidenced by expressing interest in learning are two major nursing diagnosis in patient teaching (Doenges, Moorhouse, & Murr, 2013). As the infant is unable to take care of the tracheostomy, the parent will play a key role in maintaining patency, reducing the risk of infection, and overall care of the infant's airway. The nurse will first need to assess the parent's level of understanding and education to teach in a way they can best comprehend. Parents may not be able to memorize and keep track of every detail involved in the care. To best assist them, the nurse will provide various formats of information such as print materials, classes, and online resources. These will increase retention and promote ongoing learning at the parents' pace. Then, the nurse can demonstrate how to maintain skin integrity and tube patency, prevent decannulation, and proper suctioning methods. The teach-back method would be very effective, as reading and hearing about care are very different from actually performing