Tracheostomy Care and Suctioning Quiz

What are signs/symptoms of Respiratory Distress?

• Oxygen Saturations 90-100%

• Increased Respiratory Rate, oxygen saturations less than 88%, accessory muscle use

• Normal Respiratory Rate, no accessory muscle use, patient able to converse with you

How often should tracheostomy site care take place?

• BID and PRN

• Once a day

• Once a week

• PRN

What are signs that a patient needs to be suctioned? Select all that apply

• Audible gurgling sounds

• Oxygen saturations decreasing below 88%

• Increased Respiratory Rate

• Patient coughing and unable to clear all the secretions

What are signs of infection to look for when completing trach site care? Select all that apply

• Red, swollen site, skin hot to touch

• Purulent Drainage around site

• Skin color appropriate for ethnicity and warm to touch

• Trach site not causing pain

What equipment is need to suction a patient? Select all that apply

• Suction kit

• Suction head, canisters, and tubing

• Otoscope

• PPE: protective eye wear, face mask

What are signs the patient has been suctioned effectively?

• Patients respiratory rate returns to normal

• Oxygen saturations between 90-100%

• No audible secretions/gurgling coarse sounds

• No accessory muscle use

What should you consider when delegating tasks to another healthcare professional?

• The five rights of delegation: Right task, person, supervision/evaluation, circumstance, communication

• If they are your friend

• If they are nice

• If they are a nurse or doctor

What do you use to clean the trach site?

• hand sanitizer

• Soap and water

• Sterile Normal saline

• Nothing does not need to be cleaned

How do you clean the trach site?

• With Q-tips and normal saline moving from stoma site out

• With Q-tips and normal saline moving out to in toward the stoma

• With soap and water and gauze

• No need to clean site

Extra Credit Question: If a patient obstructs (mucous plugs) what would you do? Select All that apply

• Suction

• Emergency Trach Change

• Lavage and Bag with anesthesia bag

• Nothing. They will cough it up.