New Trached Patients
JUST BEFORE HOSPITAL DISCHARGE...
A Respiratory Therapist or Nurse will show you and/or your caregiver all aspects of tracheostomy care before you're discharged.
Although it may be unusual for family members to perform skilled clinical care while you're still in hospital we were fortunate to have a nursing team and Respiratory Therapist that welcomed the opportunity to not only show me, but to permit me to clean and suction Dean's new tracheostomy.
As you're packing your bags to be discharged your Respiratory Specialist should ensure a smooth transition from hospital to home by providing you with a 7-14 day supply of disposable supplies to take home which includes, a tracheostomy mask, suctioning hoses, yank etc.
MAKE YOUR TRANSITION HOME SMOOTHER:
1. Designate two areas in your home as your ‘Trach Stations’. This is where you will set up your supplies. Our main 'Trach station' was in our upstairs bedroom while the second was on the main floor in our living room.
2. Keep a complete supply of products in a travel tote bag for when you go out.
3. Keep a notebook or day calendar at your main 'station'. If you use a notebook be sure to write the date at the top of the page. Day calendars of course have the date printed.
1. Each time you nebulize your nose, mouth & Trach write the time into the notebook/calendar
2. Write down the day & time of each medication you take.
3. Write down each time you vomit.
4. Write down each time you suction.
5. Write down each time you clean your trach tube and stoma.
6. Make note of increase in mucus, color change or change in thickness in your secretions.
7. Make note of bowel movements or lack of in your notebook.
8. Write down all upcoming medical appointments.
We took our Day Calendar to very doctor’s appointment, MRI, CatScan appointment etc. It helped our medical team better address Dean’s needs.
It may look like a lot of work but it isn’t. Remember… Medical Professionals are not mind readers nor do they have Superman’s X-ray vision. This is about you and what is going on in your body. They’re great and with you as an active partner they’re amazing!
9. Contact your power company and ask them to place your address in their database as a home that needs power for medical reasons. If the power goes out they will (should) ensure your power is restored ASAP!
Contacting our power company did us little good since we lived in a hurricane prone area. Thankfully we had many friends close by with generators. If we lost power we had a place to go!
A Respiratory Therapist or Nurse will show you and/or your caregiver all aspects of tracheostomy care before you're discharged.
Although it may be unusual for family members to perform skilled clinical care while you're still in hospital we were fortunate to have a nursing team and Respiratory Therapist that welcomed the opportunity to not only show me, but to permit me to clean and suction Dean's new tracheostomy.
As you're packing your bags to be discharged your Respiratory Specialist should ensure a smooth transition from hospital to home by providing you with a 7-14 day supply of disposable supplies to take home which includes, a tracheostomy mask, suctioning hoses, yank etc.
MAKE YOUR TRANSITION HOME SMOOTHER:
1. Designate two areas in your home as your ‘Trach Stations’. This is where you will set up your supplies. Our main 'Trach station' was in our upstairs bedroom while the second was on the main floor in our living room.
2. Keep a complete supply of products in a travel tote bag for when you go out.
3. Keep a notebook or day calendar at your main 'station'. If you use a notebook be sure to write the date at the top of the page. Day calendars of course have the date printed.
1. Each time you nebulize your nose, mouth & Trach write the time into the notebook/calendar
2. Write down the day & time of each medication you take.
3. Write down each time you vomit.
4. Write down each time you suction.
5. Write down each time you clean your trach tube and stoma.
6. Make note of increase in mucus, color change or change in thickness in your secretions.
7. Make note of bowel movements or lack of in your notebook.
8. Write down all upcoming medical appointments.
We took our Day Calendar to very doctor’s appointment, MRI, CatScan appointment etc. It helped our medical team better address Dean’s needs.
It may look like a lot of work but it isn’t. Remember… Medical Professionals are not mind readers nor do they have Superman’s X-ray vision. This is about you and what is going on in your body. They’re great and with you as an active partner they’re amazing!
9. Contact your power company and ask them to place your address in their database as a home that needs power for medical reasons. If the power goes out they will (should) ensure your power is restored ASAP!
Contacting our power company did us little good since we lived in a hurricane prone area. Thankfully we had many friends close by with generators. If we lost power we had a place to go!
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