Tracheotomy Care Handbook

Oct 12, 2026

Tracheotomy Care Handbook provides caregiver guidance for families of children receiving a tracheotomy, covering preparation for the hospital stay and discharge process. It outlines the need for at least two caregivers to learn tracheotomy care skills, describes transitional care with supervised practice over a 24-hour period, and explains planning for home equipment, supplies, nursing, and private duty arrangements. It also introduces the purpose and basics of tracheotomy, including reasons for surgery, expected communication and feeding considerations, and how caregivers can contact airway nurses with questions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages38

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Letter from the ENT Team

Tracheotomy Introduction

Message from the Nursing Staff

Tracheotomy Care

Tracheotomy Care Learning List

Types and Parts of Tracheotomy Tubes

Tracheotomy Suctioning

Tracheotomy Skin Care

Tracheotomy Tie Change

Tracheotomy Tube Change

Humidification

Caregiver Note Page

Emergency Care

Emergency Bag Equipment

Signs of Respiratory Distress

Mucus Plugging

Accidental Decannulation

Bleeding from the Tracheotomy Tube

Aspiration

Bronchospasm

Caregiver Note Page

Equipment

Equipment List (Physician Order Form)

Equipment Maintenance

Home Care

Home Care Tips

Resources

Speech

Going to School

Social Services

Supportive Resources

Financial Resources/Medical Coverage

Lodging and Meal Services

Caregiver Note Page

Glossary

Bloomer, Jessica June 2012 Tracheotomy Care Handbook TABLE OF CONTENTS I INTRODUCTION Letter from the ENT Team ______________________________ 2 Tracheotomy Introduction – Charles Myer III, M.D.__________ 3 Message from the Nursing Staff __________________________ 4 II TRACHEOTOMY CARE Tracheotomy Care Learning List __________________________ 5 Types and Parts of Tracheotomy Tubes _____________________ 6 Tracheotomy Suctioning _________________________________ 7 Tracheotomy Skin Care _________________________________ 9 Tracheotomy Tie Change _______________________________ 10 Tracheotomy Tube Change ______________________________ 12 Humidification _______________________________________ 14 Caregiver Note Page ___________________________________ 15 III EMERGENCY CARE Emergency Bag Equipment _____________________________ 16 Signs of Respiratory Distress ____________________________ 17 Mucus Plugging ______________________________________ 18 Accidental Decannulation _______________________________ 19 Bleeding from the Tracheotomy Tube _____________________ 20 Aspiration ___________________________________________ 21 Bronchospasm ________________________________________ 22 Caregiver Note Page ____________________________________ 23 IV EQUIPMENT Equipment List (Physician Order Form) ___________________ 24 Equipment Maintenance ________________________________ 25 V HOME CARE Home Care Tips ______________________________________ 27 VI RESOURCES Speech ______________________________________________ 28 Going to School _______________________________________ 30 Social Services ________________________________________ 31 Supportive Resources ___________________________________ 31 Financial Resources/Medical Coverage _____________________ 32 Lodging and Meal Services ______________________________ 33 Caregiver Note Page ____________________________________ 34 VII GLOSSARY Dear Parent or Guardian: As you have already discussed with your child’s doctor, a tracheotomy will be performed on your child to help him or her breathe. This manual will help prepare you for what to expect during your child’s hospital stay and discharge process. To make sure your child gets the safest care at all times, at least two caregivers must be taught how to do tracheotomy care. The education has many parts, and you and a second person will need to learn all parts of your child’s tracheotomy care before he/she can go home. Teaching will start the day of surgery for all caregivers. Over the next few weeks, you and a co-caregiver will learn all the skills you need to care for your child’s tracheotomy. To make sure you and the second caregiver can safely and comfortably care for your child’s tracheotomy, each of you will show how to care for him/her without coaching from the nursing staff or other family members. Both caregivers will care for the child for a 24-hour period before he/she can go home. This period is called transitional care. The social worker and discharge coordinator will help you make plans for home equipment, supplies and nursing. Home equipment and supplies must bein place before discharge. Benefits will be explored to see if private duty nursing is available. If private duty nursing is an available benefit, it must be arranged prior to discharge. The estimated length of stay in the hospital can vary based on your child’s recovery, your learning needs, planning for home equipment and supplies, and the availability of private duty nursing. This process usually takes at least 2 weeks, but it may take longer. This time can be very stressful for families. We are here to support you and your family during this process. To help with your learning process, we have enclosed a teaching packet that you should review before the tracheotomy surgery. If you have special learning needs, please let us know so we can make special arrangements. If you should have any questions or

FAQs

Why is a tracheotomy performed for a child?

A tracheotomy places a tube into the trachea to help the child breathe. It may bypass airway blockage, assist patients who cannot clear mucus by coughing, or support long-term ventilation needs.

How should caregivers be trained for tracheotomy care before discharge?

Teaching starts the day of surgery. At least two caregivers must learn all parts of the child’s tracheotomy care, demonstrating skills without coaching from nursing staff or other family members.

What is transitional care and how does it affect discharge timing?

Transitional care is a 24-hour period where both caregivers provide care before the child can go home. The length of hospital stay can vary based on recovery, learning needs, planning for home equipment and supplies, and availability of private duty nursing.

Oct 12, 2026

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