Tracheostomies are increasingly common in hospitals and multidisciplinary staff are frequently called upon to troubleshoot problems and provide advice.
Patients with tracheostomies often need help with breathing or coughing, which makes them vulnerable if problems occur with their airway.
Question: What are the commonest problems that are reported by healthcare staff?
Tracheostomies are increasingly common in hospitals and multidisciplinary staff are frequently called upon to troubleshoot problems and provide advice.
Patients with tracheostomies often need help with breathing or coughing, which makes them vulnerable if problems occur with their airway.
Question: What are the commonest problems that are reported by healthcare staff?
Answer: The commonest patient safety incidents are:
- Tube displacement (partial or complete)
- Tube blockage
- Bleeding
- Stoma breakdown
Reviews of incidents occurring with tracheostomies consistently highlight recurrent themes that lead to problems.
Question: Can you think what there are?
Tracheostomies are increasingly common in hospitals and multidisciplinary staff are frequently called upon to troubleshoot problems and provide advice.
Patients with tracheostomies often need help with breathing or coughing, which makes them vulnerable if problems occur with their airway.
Question: What are the commonest problems that are reported by healthcare staff?
Answer: The commonest patient safety incidents are:
- Tube displacement (partial or complete)
- Tube blockage
- Bleeding
- Stoma breakdown
Reviews of incidents occurring with tracheostomies consistently highlight recurrent themes that lead to problems.
Question: Can you think what there are?
Incidents are most commonly associated with:
- Inadequate staff training
- Inadequate provision of routine or emergency equipment
- Poor planning of care:
- Patients cared for in the wrong locations
- A lack of support
Fortunately, many of these incidents are amenable to prospective Quality Improvement strategies which focus on providing safe care through education. This session covers the basic care, done well, that keeps our patients safe.