The following emergency equipment must be kept with an inpatient at all times:
- Functioning suction facilities (where centralised suction is not available, as is often the case in the community, independent portable suction units should be used.)
- Appropriate sized suction catheters
- Yankauer sucker
- Non-rebreathe circuit and/or adult bag-valve-mask with reservoir with tubing*
- Oxygen*
- Spare tracheostomy tubes (one of the same size and one a size smaller) usually the same type but must be a type that can easily be inserted in an emergency situation
- Tracheal dilators*
- Tracheostomy disconnection wedge
- Stitch cutter ( if sutures present)*
- Water soluble gel
*Item may not always be required in patients cared for in the community.
- Tracheostomy
- Living with a Tracheostomy
- Faculty and Staff
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Resources
- Overview: Living with a Tracheostomy
- Tracheostomy Complications
- Difficulty Inserting the New Tracheostomy Tube
- Suctioning
- Stoma Care
- Tracheostomy Equipment
- Cleaning and Caring for Tracheostomy Equipment
- Eating with a Tracheostomy
- Speech with a Tracheostomy
- Tracheostomy and a Passy-Muir Valve
- Swimming with a Tracheostomy
- Traveling with a Tracheostomy
- Tracheostomy Humidification
- Decannulation
In This Section
Tracheostomy Supplies
Tracheostomy tubes of the appropriate type and size
Tracheostomy tube (one size smaller)
Trach tube ties or velcro strap
Dressing supplies, gauze
Hydrogen peroxide, sterile water, normal saline
Water soluble lubricant such as Surgilube or KY Jelly
Blunt-end bandage scissors
Tweezers or hemostats
Sterile Q-tips
Trach care kits and/or pipe cleaners (double-cannula trach tubes)
Luer lock syringes for cuffed trach tubes
Suction Equipment
Portable
battery-powered suction machine
Suction connecting tubing
Suction catheters
Normal saline solution
Sterile jars with screw tops (sterile specimen containers or sterilized baby food jars work well)
Saline ampules (“bullets“)
Bulb syringe
DeLee suction trap or syringe with catheter
Hand-powered Suction Devices A simple yet efficient suction unit for first responders, and a reliable backup for emergency healthcare providers.
YanKauer Suction
Handle
Sims Connector
Humidification System
Air compressor
Nebulizer bottles
Tracheostomy mask
Aerosol tubing
Water trap
Heat Moisture Exchanger (HME) (If you don't have an HME, use a room humidifier)
Room humidifier
Sterile water
Mist heater (if ordered)
Croup or mist tent (rarely ordered today)
Vapotherm
Other Supplies That You May or May Not Need
Hand washing supplies
Cleaning supplies
Mucus traps for sputum specimens
Sterile or clean paper cups
Tissues
Manual resuscitation (Ambu) bag with mask and trach adapter
Intercom, baby monitor or video monitor
Thermometer
Stethoscope
Disposable Gloves (powder free)
Trach scarf or bib
Rolled-up towel
Other Possible Equipment Needs
Speaking valves
Trach guard
Cardiac/Apnea monitor
CO2
monitor
Pulse oximeter
Oxygen
Oxygen Concentrator
Oxygen Supply tubing
Ventilator
BiPAP
Nebulizer Equipment (Aerosolized medication delivery system)
Dura-neb Portable Compressor/Nebulizer
DeVilbiss® Pulmo-Aide® Compact Compressor/Nebulizer
AeroTrach Plus™
Pressure manometer to check trach cuff pressure on cuffed tubes
Extra smoke detectors
and a fire extinguisher suitable for electric as well as regular fires.
Consider an emergency generator if you have frequent power failures.
Making sterile salt water (saline) for home suctioning
Start with clean hands, pans, containers and spoon
- Put saline storage jar and lid in one pan and cover with tap water.
- Put 4 ¼ cups of tap water in a second pan.
- Boil both pans for ten minutes.
- Add two level teaspoons of table salt to plain boiled tap water and stir to dissolve. Cool both pans to room temperature.
- Remove storage jar and lid touching only the outside.
- Pour cooled salt water directly into storage jar. Place lid tightly on jar. Store in refrigerator.
- Pour off the amount needed for each cleaning or suctioning session into a smaller container. Do not dip anything into the large supply of saline.
- Make a new batch every day.
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