This webinar explains the difference between a tracheostomy and a tracheotomy, and why a patient might need one, from upper airway obstruction caused by trauma, foreign material or neoplasia to upper airway disorders such as laryngeal paralysis, collapsing trachea and BOAS. It covers how a tracheostomy tube is placed and how to choose the right tube.
Most of the session focuses on nursing care: monitoring for occlusion and dislodgement, humidification, cleaning the tube and stoma, tracheal suction and the complications to watch for. It finishes with two alternatives to a tracheostomy, retrograde intubation and the pharyngostomy tube.
Presented by Travis Bruns at the 2025 ACVN Nurse Conference (Critical Care stream).
Includes the full recording (47 minutes), the presentation slides as a PDF, and a quiz. Pass the quiz to receive a certificate worth 1 AVNAT point.

