Your patient has a tracheostomy and is on a ventilator.He presents in acute respiratory distress.You assess his trach tube and it appears clear,but there is something wrong with the ventilator.You do not notice any loose fittings or disconnected tubes.The airway is clear and he is sitting upright.What is your next step?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a situation where a patient on a ventilator is presenting in acute respiratory distress and the trach tube appears clear but there is something wrong with the ventilator, it is important to ensure adequate ventilation and oxygenation. In this case, the best next step would be to disconnect the patient from the ventilator and ventilate them with a bag-valve device while troubleshooting the ventilator issue. Connecting an oxygen tank directly to the tracheostomy tube may not provide enough ventilation to meet the patient's needs and can potentially cause harm if not done correctly. Contacting the manufacturer's service hotline or attempting to troubleshoot the ventilator further may take too much time and potentially worsen the patient's condition.

Your Patient Has a Tracheostomy and Is on a Ventilator