Home Care for Trach - Info?

Status
Not open for further replies.

katekath

Distinguished member
Joined
Oct 2, 2008
Messages
148
Reason
CALS
Country
SGP
State
SG
City
SG
Hi,

My mum got a trach and is on bipap support. I understand that most hospital will provide training for home care and a list of things we will need to care for her at home, but besides training, the hospital told me I have to get the rest myself.

So is there any good website or anything I can read to ensure I have the adequate equipment/supplies for home care?

Thanks.
 
Good Morning,
I really have no experience with a trach but I wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you and your mom as we are approaching this in the near future with my mother in law.
You and your mom are in my thoughts and prayers
In friendship
Jeannie
 
Joelc or quadbliss might have some information to help. Hopefully they'll see your post.

AL.
 
Here where we live there is an organization that trains everyone and then supplies all the equipment free of charge. I have been having trouble with my internet conection today so will do some more research in the morning and see if I can find a list of all the equipment you will need. If I can't find a list like this I will try to make one myself from the equipment we have. There is quite a lot you will need to have but taking care of someone with a tracheostomy is not a big deal and quickly becomes routine.
 
Your Safety and Comfort
The following is a review of some of the supplies and
procedures required to help ensure your safety and
comfort.

Ventilators
BACK-UP SUPPLIES
Always have the following available in case of an
emergency:
• Bacterial filters (front)
• Bagging unit
• Circuits, including exhalation manifold
• Flex hoses
• Gloves
• Intake filters (back)
• Spare exhalation valve (balloon)
• Spare tracheostomy tube
• Suction catheters
• Tracheostomy adapters
• Water traps
Circuit changes and cleaning
Replace your entire circuit (except the exhalation
manifold) every 12 months. We recommend that you
clean your circuit every week following this procedure:
• Disassemble the circuit
• Wash it in warm soapy water using mild soap
• Rinse
• Soak it in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water
for 30 minutes
• Rinse
• Hang to dry
Humidifiers
Humidifiers increase the vapour content of the air you
inhale. Here are some recommendations on using them:
• Always clean and disinfect according to the
manufacturer’s directions
• Never leave your bedside humidifier turned on when
you are not using it
• Clean and replace the water everyday using only
distilled or de-mineralized water. This will extend the
life of your humidifier chamber.
• If sterile water is required, the distilled or demineralized
water must be boiled and left to cool

Use Distilled Water
If your humidifier contains scale or
crusty deposits, or is covered by a white
dust, then you are probably using
water that contains minerals. It is
important to use the right type of
water, because minerals can result in
the growth of micro-organisms, and
will also shorten your humidifier’s life.
Tap water always contains minerals. Only use it if you
have no de-mineralized water available. Use bottled water
that is labeled “distilled.” This can be purchased at your
local drugstore. Do not use bottled waters that are labeled
“spring,” “artesian” or “mineral” because they may contain
minerals. Water filtering systems like those you place on
your refrigerator remove some odours and chlorine, but
are not effective in removing the minerals that cause
scaling and deposits.
Batteries (for LP6 and LP10 Users)
Checking the internal battery’s charge level: Unplug your
ventilator from its wall socket or wheelchair battery
connector and switch it from standby to assist/control
mode. Press and hold the battery test button and watch
the patient pressure meter needle. The numbered scale
indicates the percentage of battery charge level. For
example, if the needle points to 100, this means it is 100%
full. Always charge the internal battery if it is less than 50%
full.
Testing the power level of your internal battery: You
should test your internal battery once a month. To test,
make sure your ventilator has been fully charged and you
are not using it. Disconnect your ventilator from the wall
socket or wheelchair battery and let it run until the low
power alarm comes on. Note the start and stop time of
the test. If the test result is under 45 minutes call PROP.
The battery probably needs replacing. Make sure you
recharge the battery after testing so it is ready to use.
Charging: Disconnect your ventilator from the
wheelchair battery and plug it into a wall outlet. Charge
your battery daily. Charging your wheelchair when your
ventilator is connected will not fully charge your
ventilator’s internal battery.
Liquids and Your Ventilator
• Keep all liquids away from your ventilator
• Rain and snow can damage your ventilator if it is not
properly covered. Contact PROP for advice on how
to cover your ventilator to protect it in wet weather.
• It is essential to call PROP anytime liquid is spilled
on your unit. Do so even if the unit appears to be
functioning normally.

Client Tips
• Check your respiratory supplies on a monthly basis.
Keep enough stock on hand so that you only need to
order supplies a few times a year. This way there is no
panic when you run short or something is no longer
available. (Jeanette Andersen)
• Never, ever go anywhere without your Ambu bag.
(Alan Hurst)
• I have a two-wheeled cart (the kind used by seniors
for shopping) that a friend bought in a thrift store for
$3.00. It’s very handy for transporting a back-up
ventilator to and from a vehicle and it makes it so
much easier for an attendant. (Jeanette Andersen)
• Always take an emergency kit and a portable suction
machine with you. Check both regularly to make sure
they work. Carry extra suction catheters in your
backpack. (Jeanette Andersen, Johanna Johnson, and
Heather Morrison)
• Take a back-up vent if possible, particularly if you are
going on a long trip. This will increase your comfort
and your attendant’s. (Jeanette Andersen, Johanna
Johnson, and Heather Morrison)
• Carry a cell phone. If you travel on your own you may
need a voice-activated phone. Check that your phone
is well charged before you go out. If you use a prepaid
system make sure you have time left on your
account. (Jeanette Andersen, Johanna Johnson, and
Heather Morrison)
• When I travel I always pack an extension cord with a
couple of plugs. You would be amazed where hotel
rooms have their plugs in the wall: sometimes your
ventilator plug will not reach and many hotels do not
have extension cords available for their guests. (Zosia
Ettenberg)
• Write down all your vent settings and store them in a
safe place. Inevitably you’ll get your vent back (from
repair) and the settings will have been changed.
(Johanna Johnson)
• Be organized and informed. Know your equipment
and how to troubleshoot for problems. Know your
vent settings. (Jeanette Andersen)
 
I would have to agree with everything Joel says...........Freddie has only been trached since June but he has had alot of problems.....Just with health issues, and I ALWAYS ask joelc or quadbliss for info........They are what I call my standbys.........I wouldn't of made some of my decisions without them:D:D

They are quite helpful.
netty
 
Oh my Joel. I had no idea there was so much needed. Thanks for the info.
 
Hi Katekath,

What an overwhelming time this is for you! At first, you will feel like there is so much information to process, but eventually, you will feel comfortable with all the details.

We had quite some time to prepare for home life on the trach. Mom went into a long-term hospital for a month before coming home, and during that time, the respiratory therapists and nurses trained me on every aspect of her care. In fact, they wouldn't allow her to come home until I demonstrated proficiency on different things. They also set us up with a durable medial equipment company that provides the vent and monthly supplies, and a case worker at the hospital helped us find home nursing assistance. Even after Mom came home they have been available to answer questions as needed.

I don't know how things work in Singapore, but if you can find a case manager at the hospital to assist you, that would be your best bet. You should also contact the local Muscular Dystrophy Association branch to see if they can help you. Here is a link to the Singapore MDA website: http://www.mdas.org.sg/

Good luck, and please keep us posted on how things are going!
 
It sounds like a lot but it is not really that bad, it takes a few months to get used to everything but it becomes routine really quick. I will try to find time today to make a list of what we were supplied with.
 
Wow...many thanks for the info Joelc! I think I need some time to digest it all. Thank you all for the encouragement too.

The nursing care in the current hospital she is in has been rather bad and I had been trying to get her transferred to another hospital. Just yesterday, her arms swell due to the poor positioning of the needle, through which the antibiotics was flowing into her vein (she has an infection). Though I am not a nurse, I thought the needle position was strange and notified the nurses about it before it happened, but nothing was done. It doesn't help that both she and I are afraid of needles too.

I am most worried about bed sores since no one seemed to be switching her on her sides. I can do that when I can visit her, but not for the entire day.

We got into a routine during visiting hours, but I am worried about homecare where I am not around during the day because of work. I do have a potential candidate to hire for help and hopefully she will still be available when my mum is discharge from hospital.

It seemed like she is yo-yoing between being good and bad. Is that normal? Some days she is alert and responsive, but on other days, she is lethargic and weak.
 
I thought pictures were better than words so I created an album on my profile page where I posted pictures with explanations for each one. click on my name, view public profile, scroll down the page, click on "having a tracheostomy and vent", then click on each picture for an explanation.

I really hope this helps.

If you need more information please don't hesitate to ask. That goes for anyone who wants it.
 
Great idea Joel. Thanks.

AL.
 
Joel: I tried to do what you mentioned, but obtained the following message -

katekath, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.


What privileges must I have to access your album? Thanks!
 
Katekath. I sent you a private message.

AL.
 
Hi Al, I got your message. Many thanks! :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top