Vent and Trach Certification

Specialties Private Duty

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Hello....Im a new grad LPN and im interested in getting certified for vent and trach care. I would like to do some private cases and I have no idea how to go about getting this training. We didn't touch on it that much in school. If anyone knows where in the rochester, NY area they offer this training id be greatful.

Thanks

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Typically there is no "certification" in these areas. You get your proficiency from working with this on the job. Occasionally you can find an entity that offers classes and employers will accept a certificate that you have attended this training as evidence of "certification". Try doing an internet search for your area or call the various home health agencies to find out where they send their employees for training.

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Specializes in Home Health/PD.

We never got certified, just trained. Each ventilator should have a manual that goes along with it that should be close to the vent. We learned trach care in school but did not get a lot of experience with them in clinicals. The parents and other nurses have taught me so much with trachs. I also have watched youtube videos for trach changes before i had seen a real one, just in case a trach would pop out on me. good luck!

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Specializes in Private Duty, L&D.

In Wisconsin, we MUST attend an 8 hour certification class to get paid by Medicaid to care for vent patients working private duty, or Nurses in Independent Practice. This certification must be renewed every two years. I believe the refresher class is only 6 hours long but i haven't had to refresh yet as i'm still under my initial certification.

Every State must be different.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

That is interesting. There are differences from state to state and agency to agency. In California an unlicensed caregiver or family member has to go to training through MediCal (our MediCaid) but not LVNs or RNs.

I agree the manual for your patient's ventilator is a must - and I review it often. The home ventilators are incredibly reliable. Also keep the number for the RT if one is involved or the current help and support line for the company that makes your vent.

NRSKaren has posted some excellent sticky threads here in the Pulmonary Nursing forum of allnurses to get you started reading.

Tracheostomy and Vent Information - Nursing for Nurses

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What do you do if the parents are afraid you can't change the trache on your own in case of emergency because the patient moves around so much but yet she doesn't let us nurses try to change it only they (the parents want to do it) and they just have me watch? Should I not continue with this patient?

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.
What do you do if the parents are afraid you can't change the trache on your own in case of emergency because the patient moves around so much but yet she doesn't let us nurses try to change it only they (the parents want to do it) and they just have me watch? Should I not continue with this patient?

I've had a few families over the years who wanted to do all routine trach changes themselves. I have no problem with that but I always make sure they know that if there's an emergency situation I can not wait for them to come change it. The important thing to make sure of is that your emergency replacement trach is ready with ties already attached to it so you can just pop it in right away.

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Ok thanks for the advice.

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