Changing outer canula of trach

Nurses General Nursing

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i hope someone can help me with this question. i am an lpn in a state run facility in pa. is it within the lpn's scope of practice to change an outer canula of a tracheostomy? they want us to do this there, i just want to make sure it is under my scope of practice and im not going to put my nursing license in jeopardy.

thank you!:idea:

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There is no way to change just the outer cannula, that means that you would be changing out the entire trach tube.

I would check with your Board of Nursing, to see what they say that you can and cannot do.

But what if you cannot get it back in? What about the training for you to be doing this? Any procedure to be done in any state requires that you have been properly trained in this, and who is going to be doing the training?

Just because the facility is state run, it does not mean that what you wish to do has the approval of the BON. Always check directly with them.

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Specializes in med-surg, telemetry,geriatrics.

im assuming you meant inner cannulas, as we dont change outer cannulas. And yes it is within your scope to do so. If unsure how I would have someone show you how to first tho.

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Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

Changing the trach is within the scope of practice in NJ,:bow: but I had to take a course and pass a written and clinical exam before my company would let me do it.

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In clinical on Friday (I'm in LPN school), I changed the inner cannula of a trach patient. The patients floor nurse was an LPN.

Its within the scope of practice in CT for an LPN to change the inner cannula.

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Specializes in critical care.

I am not sure. The RT's change outer cannulas at my facility, either because it needs to be done or the pt decannulated CAT

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

On freshly trached patients the hole can close up in a couple of seconds if you take the outer cannula out and don't watch what you're doing. So I'm an RN and I don't do that. Besides the ones I get are stitched in place because they're fresh. So I can't do that. Now if the doc will quit leaving strings half a foot long coming out of the suture I'll be thrilled, the darn things get in my way.

Inner cannula changes are sterile in hospital, aseptic at home, can involve flinging snot if it don't wash off like it's supposed to, and yeah, you can do it if they show you how. We did it on dummies in school and boy it ain't much like the real thing. Snot makes it quite a bit more difficult.

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Specializes in long term care.
i hope someone can help me with this question. i am an lpn in a state run facility in pa. is it within the lpn's scope of practice to change an outer canula of a tracheostomy? they want us to do this there, i just want to make sure it is under my scope of practice and im not going to put my nursing license in jeopardy.

thank you!:idea:

:up:in the pennsylvania code under the regs for nursing scope of practice, subchapter d. interpretations subheading 21.414. interpretations regarding the functions of licensed practical nurses, t does state that (if there has been adequate education and training) that it is within the lpn scope of practice to change an outer tracheostomy tube after the stoma is healed. web reference http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/049/chapter21/subchapdtoc.html

hope this helped!

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Worktoomuch..beat me to regs! Yes it is permitted...performed many times when LPN on Resp/Telemtry unit AFTER

education session with ENT and RN EDucator, instruction, observation + participation then supervised first few trach changes under RN's watchful eyes.

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.

I am a pediatric homecare nurse (LPN) in PA. Yes, changing the trach is within our scope of practice. I take care of many trached and vented babies and we change their trach's once a week.

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