Important Points on Emergency Tracheostomy Care at Home

Due to certain ailments or conditions, some patients may require breathing with the help of a trach tube. The reliance on a tracheostomy tube may be temporary or last longer depending on the condition of the patient. 

Regardless of the duration of the requirement, you need to ensure safe and effective cleaning and changing whenever needed. It is also important to be prepared and to know how to handle emergencies, such as a blocked or misplaced trach tube. 

What to Know about Emergency Tracheostomy Care at Home

In this blog, we will talk about some of the basics concerning emergency tracheostomy care at home. Let’s begin with a bit of information on emergency trach kits:

Sometimes, the trach tube may get congested or accidentally come out. Emergency kits for tracheostomy care at home are designed to contain all the caregiver needs to provide breathing assistance in such unexpected situations. 

The best way to stay prepared is to collect all the items needed in the emergency trach kit before the patient comes home. Also, make sure to keep the kit near the patient at all times, whether they stay at home or step outside for any reason. Contact the nearest experts in tracheostomy care and respiratory therapy at home to know more about this. 

As a caregiver, you also need to keep in mind a few things when it comes to changing a trach tube. These are given below:

● Generally, caregivers have to replace the trach tube once in 1-4 weeks to ensure a clean and mucus-free way to breathe for the patient. This duration may vary based on the patient’s individual requirement and the medical advice they receive from their doctor. 

● Make changes to the trach tube before or well after feeding. Wait for at least two hours in case the patient has undergone feeding.

● Make sure you perform changes in the presence of two people in case you need help. However, sometimes this may not be possible due to an emergency.

There are also certain vital details to know whenever you decide to change the trach tube or need to prepare yourself for emergency

  

pediatric care at home in the form of tracheostomy care. Find out whether:

● The tracheostomy is an established one or newly placed

● An inner cannula is present in the particular case

● You have backup items in your trach kit that are instrumental in trach tube replacement, such as trach tubes, lubrication, trach ties, and syringe

● The trach tube is cuffed or not

● The patient is able to respire without the need for a ventilator

● You can use suction whenever needed

● You are prepared to manually resuscitate

In case you are having difficulty in any of the above, or if you require more knowledge about emergency tracheostomy care at home, get in touch with your medical health professional before you proceed.

Signs that Indicate You Need Professional Help

Once the tracheostomy is complete, it is normal if the patient feels minor pain, discomfort or both. However, contact your doctor or healthcare provider promptly if this lasts longer than a week or if you notice any of the signs given below:

● The patient is feeling increasingly uncomfortable or is in pain

● The patient has an irregular heart rate

● They are finding it hard to breathe and the situation doesn’t improve even after you have tried clearing secretions.

At times, secretions can become thick due to mucus plugs or crusting. Your doctor may recommend the use of cool mist humidification or greater fluid intake depending on this.

Please take note that this blog is intended purely to educate and not to take the place of your healthcare giver’s advice. Always consult with your doctor or home care medical professional in case of any issues.