PEDIATRIC TRACHEOSTOMY EMERGENCIES: JUST A BREATH AWAY

Course overview

Healthcare providers of various disciplines who care for children with tracheostomies in the home must be prepared for sudden emergencies. Common complications are decannulation, occlusion, bleeding, stomatitis, tracheitis and granulomas. Healthcare providers as a team need strategies to prevent emergencies, a planned response if emergencies occur and the skill to manage crises. They must understand the purpose of the artificial airway, demonstrate proper routine tracheostomy care and emergency preparation and apply critical thinking skills in a stepwise approach in case of an emergency. Because life-threatening emergencies can easily occur in children with tracheostomies, it is vital that healthcare providers who care for these children are prepared to handle tracheostomy-related emergencies.