trach care

[ktwlpn, LPN]

What are your policies for performing trach care in your LTC's (not talking fresh trachs) Does anyone have any good resources regarding this? I am having a problem with some of the staff on my unit-and I only found out the routine care was not being done when the central supply guy told me I had a lot of leftover supplies each week....Our policy is once a shift...This fella can move his secretions well and he usually only needs to be suctioned during the routine care....Some staff are even complaining about having to do that and want me to get an order for benadryl...I don't think that would be beneficial-you want the oral mucosa to be moist and healthy and you sure don't want the secretions to get dry and hard....One nurse told me she does not always use the trach cleaning kits we have but she does clean it-I'd like to know how-maybe she wipes it on her pants leg? I am going to ask staff development to look into this but I want to read up on this also...I have a small unit-I consider it low acuity (a few tube feeds and one IDDM-not much going on) So SUCTION the man-for willies sake-we are not exactly over-worked here,you know? Thanks all-I know you'll hook me up.....

[Lovenursinganyx]

At the LTC that I work it is very rare for us to take in Trach patients. However, we recently had to send a long time resident out to get one. While he was in the hosp, the pharmacy that our place goes through, sent out a rep that speciallizes in Trach care. All nurses were STRONGLY encouraged to attend. Basically she explained that this patient was to have trach care preformed atleast every 8 hours. The good thing is that this patient had to be suctioned several times a shift so good trach care was needed more than once a shift! Its sad to think that, according to you, there really isnt a reason not to take care of this matter since your accuity is so low. I cant stand following someone that obviously didnt take the time to care for the residents like they should have. Its nothing to come in the next day of work and find my same dressing on a residents wound that should have been changed twice since I was gone. Very sickening! Keep up the good work!