Nursing responsibilities on Tracheostomy and bronchoscopy

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2007

there are some good sites where you can find information about these procedures which is where you start. you have to know what the procedure is and how it is usually performed so you can answer patient's questions about the procedure. your nursing responsibilities generally involve preparing the patient before the procedure and taking care of them after. so, you need to know the preparation the patient will need (pre-procedure medications, the signing of a consent form) and any complications that can occur afterward and how to manage them. all this comes from reading as much as you can about these procedures and what goes on during them. however, a doctor performs the procedure and a nurse will only assist the doctor by setting up and/or handing him the instruments he needs. here in the u.s. the nurses are often the ones who get the patient into the procedure room, positioned properly and administer the sedating medication at the verbal direction of the doctor who is doing the procedure.

bronchoscopy

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/bronchoscopy-16978
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003857.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/bronchoscopy/htm/index.htm - bronchoscopy interactive tutorial (there are three ways you can view the tutorial)
http://www.medicinenet.com/bronchoscopy/article.htm - bronchoscopy

tracheostomy

http://tracheostomy.com/ - everything you want to know about tracheostomies and trach care. lots of pictures and explanations. if you go to the site map page you will find links to respiratory surgical procedures, many of which are videos.
http://www.nda.ox.ac.uk/wfsa/html/u15/u1516_01.htm - percutaneous tracheostomy. includes pictures of the anatomy, a description of the insertion of the tracheostomy and a list of the complications. this article was written for doctors but it is reasonably easy to understand
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002955.htm - includes drawings of the anatomy
http://www.medicinenet.com/tracheostomy/article.htm - tracheostomy

while a good many of those are patient focused sites (the reason i posted them for you is because they are easier to understand), there is still some general information about respiratory problems and lung health, in general, that you should know. here in the u.s., respiratory problems are one of the top reasons that patients are admitted to the hospitals for care. i don't imagine that it's much different in your country as well.

http://www.yourlunghealth.org/ - your lung health.org
http://www.aarc.org/patient_education/ - patient education links from the american association of respiratory care

ALEXIS VALIENTE · Jul 2, 2007

thanks!!!!!!

ur the best!!!!!!