How to Care for Tracheostomy Patients at Home
A tracheostomy is a procedure in which an incision is made in the trachea. The objective of a tracheostomy is usually to allow the patient to breathe through the resulting opening, also known as a stoma. The stoma requires daily attention to prevent infection after the patient comes home, especially if the patient is on a ventilator.
Instructions
1.Fill a small cup with hydrogen peroxide solution. Fill a second cup with sterile water. Instruct the patient to lay face up and place a rolled towel under the patient's shoulders. This will cause the patient's neck to straighten and allow you to visualize the stoma more easily.
2.Wash your hands and place some cotton swabs in the cup of hydrogen peroxide solution. Clean the skin around the tracheostomy tube by using one cotton swab on each fourth of the circle around the stoma. Ensure that you don't allow the hydrogen peroxide solution into the stoma or tracheostomy tube.
3.Soak a cotton swab in sterile water. Swab the skin around the stoma with the moistened cotton swab. Dry the skin with a dry cotton swab or precut tracheostomy gauze. Change the tracheostomy ties if the skin under the ties appears irritated.
4.Inspect the dressing on a recent tracheostomy and replace it if it's moist. Fold a piece of precut tracheostomy gauze into a U shape and tuck it between the tracheostomy tube and the patient's skin. Be careful not to block the opening of the tracheostomy tube with the gauze.
5.Check the stoma of an older tracheostomy to ensure that it doesn't have any redness or rash. You don't necessarily need to change the dressing of a completely healed stoma if the skin is in good condition.
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