Advanced Skills Objective Exam Flashcards
How often should you assess the patient for tube patency?
At least hourly
What are some indicators of tube obstruction?
Difficulty breathing, noisy respirations, thick dry secretions, and unexplained peak pressures
True or false
Tube dislodgment in the first 72 hours is an emergency because the tracheostomy tract has not matured and replacement is difficult
True
What is pneumothorax?
Pneumothorax (air in the chest cavity) can develop during the tracheostomy procedure if the chest cavity is entered. When pneumothorax occurs during tracheostomy, it usually does so at the apex of the lung. Chest xrays after placement are used to assess for pneumothorax
When does subcutaneous emphysema occur?
Subcutaneous emphysema occurs when there is an opening or tear in the trachea and air escapes into fresh tissue planes of the neck.
What causes Tracheomalacia?
Constant pressure exerted by the cuff causes tracheal dilation and erosion of cartilage.
Manifestations: an increased amount of air is required in the cuff to maintain the seal, larger trach tube is needed to prevent air leak, patient does not receive set tidal volume on the ventilator
What causes Tracheal Stenosis?
Narrowed tracheal lumen is due to scar formation from irritation of tracheal mucosa by the cuff
Manifestations: patient has increased coughing, inability to expectorate secretions
What causes a Trachea-innominate artery fistula?
A malpositioned tube causes its distal tip to push against the lateral wall of the tracheostomy. Continued pressure causes necrosis and erosion of the innominate artery.
Manifestations: Heavy bleeding from stoma, this is a life threatening complication/medical emergency
What causes a Tracheoesophageal fistual?
Excessive cuff pressure causes erosion of the posterior wall of the trachea. A hole is created between the tracheas and the anterior esophagus.
Manifestations: Similar to tracheomalacia
What type of technique should you use when providing trach care?
Sterile technique
How often after trach surgery should you provide cannula care?
Every 30-60 min for the first 24 hours
What are some complications suctioning can cause?
Hypoxia, tissue trauma, infection, vagal stimulation, bronchospasm, and cardiac dysrhythmias
How is hypoxia caused and how can it be prevented?
Hypoxia causes:
- Ineffective oxygenation before and after suctioning
- Prolonged suctioning
- Too frequent suctioning
- Excessive suctioning pressure
- Too large of catheter
Hypoxia can be prevented by hyper-oxygenating a patient and using a 12-14 FR catheter on adults
How long should you suction for?
10-15 seconds
Vagal stimulation during suctioning
Vagal stimulation results in severe bradycardia, hypotension, heart block, ventricular tachycardia, a-systole or dysrhythmias. If vagal stimulation occurs stop suctioning immediately and oxygenate patient manually with 100% O2
How often should you turn and reposition a trach patient?
every 1-2 hours
What should you avoid using when providing oral care?
Avoid using glycerin swabs or mouthwash that contains alcohol to clean the mouth because these products dry the mouth, change its pH, and promote bacterial growth.
When is a trach patient able to speak?
The patient can speak when there is a cuff less tube, when a fenestrated trach tube is in place, and when the fenestrated tube is capped or covered
_______is the result of constant pressure exerted by a tracheostomy cuff causing tracheal dilation and erosion of cartilage
Tracheomalacia
A patient has an inflated cuffed #8 shiley tracheostomy and is on a ventilator. The tracheostomy tube is pulsating in synchrony with the patients heartbeat. What does the nurse do first?
Notify the physician of the pulsating tube
A patient requires long term airway maintenance following surgery for cancer of the neck. The nurse is using a piece of equipment to explain the procedure and mechanism that are associated with this long term therapy. Which piece of equipment does the nurse most likely use for this patient teaching session?
Tracheostomy tube
A patient is receiving preoperative teaching for a partial larynectomy and will have a tracheostomy postoperatively. How does the nurse define a tracheostomy to the patient?
Opening in the trachea that enables breathing
A patient returns from the operating room and the nurse assesses for subcutaneous emphysema which is a potential complication associated with tracheostomy. How does the nurse assess for this complication?
Inspecting and palpating for air under the skin
A patient with a tracheostomy without a tube in place develops increased coughing, inability to expectorate secretions, and difficulty breathing. What are these assessment findings related to?
Tracheal stenosis
A patient returns from the operating room after having a tracheostomy. While assessing the patient, which observations made by the nurse warrant immediate notification of the physician?
Skin is puffy at the neck area with a crackling sensation
A patient was intubated for acute respiratory failure, and there is an endotracheal tube in place. Which nursing intervention is NOT appropriate for this patient?
Suction the airway with oral suction equipment
To prevent accidental decannulation of a tracheostomy tube, what does the nurse do ?
Secure the tube in place using ties or fabric fasteners
A patient has a recent tracheostomy. What necessary equipment does the nurse ensure is kept at the bedside?
- Ambu bag
- Oxygen tubing
- Suction equipment
- Tracheostomy tube with obturator
Which statement by the nursing student indicates an understanding of the deflation of the tracheostomy cuff?
The cuff is deflated to allow the patient to speak
A patient has a temporary tracheostomy following surgery to the neck areas to remove a benign tumor. Which nursing intervention is performed to prevent obstruction of the tracheostomy tube?
Provide tracheal suctioning when there are noisy respirations
A patient sustained a serious crush injury to the neck and had a trach tube placed yesterday. As the nurse performing trach care, the patient suddenly sneezes very forcefully and the trach tube falls out. What does the nurse do?
Quickly and gently replace the tube with a clean cannula kept at the bedside
A patient with a tracheostomy or endotracheal tube has inline suctioning. Which nursing interventions apply to proper suctioning technique?
- Oxygenate the patient before suctioning
- Instruct the patient that they will be suctioned
- Suctioning ti,me is the same for trach and endotrach
- The suction tubing is locked after suctioning is completed
What are possible complications that can occur with suctioning from an artificial airway?
!. Infection
- Hypoxia
- Tissue trauma
- Vagal stimulation
- Bronchospasm
- Cardiac dysrhythmias
A patient required emergency intubation and currently has an artificial airway in place. Oxygen is being administered directly from the wall source. Why would warmed and humidified oxygen be a more appropriate choice for this patient?
It helps prevent tracheal damage
A patient has an endotracheal tube and requires frequent suctioning for copious secretions. What is a complication of tracheal suctioning?
Hypoxia
Indicate the correct steps of completing a suctioning procedure
- Open the suction kit
- Pour sterile saline into sterile container
- Put on sterile gloves
- Keep catheter sterile, attach to suction
- Lubricate catheter tip in sterile saline
- Preoxygenate the patient
- Insert catheter into trahcea without suctioning
- Withdraw catheter, applying suction and twirling catheter
- Discard supplies, wash hands, document
Indicate the correct steps of performing tracheostomy care
- Suction trach tube if necessary
- Remove old dressing and excess secretions
- Open tracheostomy kit and pour peroxide into one side of the container and saline into another
- Put on sterile gloves
- Remove inner cannula, place in peroxide solution and clean
- Rinse inner cannula in saline
- Reinsert inner cannula into outer cannula
- Clean stoma site and plate
- Change trach ties
- Wash hands, dispose of equipment
While the nursing student changes a patients tracheostomy dressing, the nurse observes the student using a pair of scissors to cut a 4X4 gauze pad to make a split dressing fit around the trach tube. What is the nurses best action?
Direct the student in the correct use of materials and explain rationale
The nurse is caring for a patient with a tracheostomy who has recently been transferred from the ICU, but he had no unusual occurrences related to the tracheostomy or his O2 status. What does routine care for this patient include?
Thorough respiratory assessment every 2 hours
A patient with a tracheostomy is being discharged to home. In patient teaching, what does the nurse instruct the patient to do ?
Increase the humidity in the home
A patient with a permanent tracheostomy is interested in developing an exercise regimen. What activity does the nurse advise the patient to avoid?
Swimming
A patient with an endotracheal tube in place has dry mucous membranes and lips related to the tube and the partial open mouth position. What techniques does the nurse use to provide this patient with frequent oral care?
Uses toothettes or a soft bristled brush moistened in water
A patient with a tracheostomy who receives unnecessary suctioning can experience which complications?
- Bronchospasm
- Mucosal damage
- Bleeding
A patient with a tracheostomy tube is able to speak and is no longer on mechanical ventilation. Which type of trach tube does this patient have?
Fenestrated tube with inner cannula removed and the red stoppper locked in place. Size #6 shiley deflated cuffed that is capped
What is a talking tracheostomy tube?
Used with patients who can speak while on a ventilator for a long term basis
What is a cuffed tube?
Has a cuff that seals the airway when inflated
What is a cuffless tube?
Used for long term management of patients not on mechanical ventilation or at high risk for aspiration
What is a double lumen tube?
It has 3 parts; outer cannula, inner cannula, and obturator
What is a metal tracheostomy tube?
Used for permanent tracheostomy
What is a cuffed fenestrated tube?
Used often with patients with spinal cord paralysis or muscular disease who do not require a ventilator all the time
What is a single lumen tube?
Has no inner cannula and is used for patients with long or extra thick necks
What is a fenestrated tube?
Used when weaning a patient from a ventilator, allows patient to speak
A patient has a cuffed trach tube without a pressure relief valve. To prevent tissue damage of the tracheal mucosa, what does the nurse do?
Assess and record cuff pressure each shift using minimal leak technique
An older adult patient is at risk for aspirating food or fluids. Which are the most appropriate nursing actions to prevent this problem?
- Provide close supervision if the patient is self feeding
- Instruct the patient to tuck the chin down when swallowing
- Place the patient in an upright position
an older adult sustained a stroke several weeks ago and is having difficulty swallowing. To prevent aspiration during meal times, what does the nurse do?
Encourage dry swallowing after each bite to clear residue from the throat
A patient with a trach tube is currently alert and cooperative but seems to be coughing more frequently and producing more secretions than usual. The nurse determines that there is a need for suctioning. Which nursing intervention does the nurse use to prevent hypoxia for this patient?
Avoid prolonged suctioning time
The nurse is suctioning from patients endotracheal tube. The patient demonstrates a vagal response by a drop in heart rate to 54 and a drop in blood pressure to 90/50. after stopping suctioning, what is the nurses priority action?
oxygenate with 100% oxygen and monitor the patient.
a patient with a tracheostomy is unable to speak. He is not in acute distress, but is gesturing and trying to communicate with the nurse.Which nursing intervention is the best approach in this situation?
Ask questions that can be answered with a yes or no response.
Which clinical finding in a patient with a recent tracheostomy is the most serious and requires immediate intervention?
Pulsating tracheostomy tube in synchrony with the heartbeat.
The nurse is providing discharge instructions for a patient who must perform self care tracheostomy. The patient has been cheerful and cooperative during the hospital stay and has demonstrated interest and capability in performing self care but now the patient begins crying and refuses to leave the hospital. What is the nurses response?
You have been brave and cheerful, but there is something that is worrying you.
What nursing action will limit hypoxia when suctioning a clients airway?
Applying suction only after the catheter is inserted
Which nursing action is important when suctioning the secretions of a client with a tracheostomy?
Initiating suction as a catheter is being withdrawn
Where is a chest tube place?
The tip of the tube used to drain air is placed near the front lung apex. The tube that drains liquid is placed on the side near the base of the lung.
True or false
Stationary chest tube drainage systems usually use a waterseal mechanism that acts as a one-way valve to prevent air or liquid for moving back into the chest cavity
True
What is the Pleur-evac system?
It’s a common device using a one piece disposable plastic unit with three chambers. The three chambers are connected to one another. The first chamber is the drainage collection container. The second chamber is the water seal to prevent air from moving back up the tubing system and into the chest. The third chamber, one suction is applied, if the suction regulator.
True or false
Chamber 2 must always contain 2 cm of water to prevent air from returning to the patient
True
What does the bubbling of the water in the water seal chamber indicate?
It indicates air drainage from the patient. Bubbling is usually see when intrathoracic pressure is greater than atmospheric pressure, such as when the patient exhaled, coughs, sneezes.
Which chamber is the suction control of the system?
Chamber 3
True or false
Notified the physician of drainage if more than 100 mL an hour occurs
True
What are some complications of a pneumonectomy?
Emphysema (purulent material in the pleural space) and….
Describe a waterseal chamber
- It prevents atmospheric air from entering plural space
- Fluid level fluctuates with respirations until long is fully expanded
- Continuous bubbling may indicate air leak
- Requires installation of sterile water to 2 cm level one being set up for use
Describe a suction control chamber
- Controls amount of suction
- Requires installation of sterile fluid usually 20 cm level
- Steady bubbling indicates suction level is maintained
Describe a dry suction waterseal drainage system
- It has three chambers like a waterseal drainage but does not require fluid in suction control chamber
- Quieter than traditional waterseal drainage
Describe a one-way valve system
- It’s used to remove Air and small amounts of fluid from pleural space
- The valve prevents air from reentering pleural space
What is the definition of a chest tube?
Placement of tubes and use of suction to return negative pressure to intrapleural space, expands lungs by removing positive pressure from pleural space
True or false
Milking and stripping chest tubes is contraindicated because it increases negative intrapleural pressure, it does not significantly affect tube patency
True
Should you turn the client frequently if they have a chest tube in?
Yes
When will fluid fluctuate in a waterseal chamber?
The level will rise on inhalation and fall on exhalation
If there are no fluctuations either the lung has expanded fully or the chest tube is clogged
Where does crepitus occur for a chest tube?
Crepitus Will occur around the chest tube insertion site in the subcutaneous tissue also called subcutaneous emphysema
True or false
Chest tube clamps are used judiciously and only in emergency situations because they can cause tension pneumothorax
True
What should you do for a post op chest tube person?
Encourage movement, coughing, deep breathing every 2 hours, splinting, effective pain management improves performance
What is a sign of tension pneumothorax?
Assess for tracheal deviation
What should you instruct when withdrawing a tube ?
To exhale or bear down while holding breath as the tube is withdrawn (valsalva maneuver)
How often should you perform tracheostomy care?
Every eight hours