Tracheostomy for a Better Quality of Life

Tracheostomy is an essential surgical procedure in emergency medicine and intensive care. Nurses play a central role in the care of tracheostomized patients, hence the need to deepen their knowledge in order to improve patients' quality of life. We included 50 nurses, divided into 37 women (74%) and 13 men (26%). The majority (56%) were aged between 22 and 30. A large proportion of the nurses interviewed had received no prior training in the care of tracheostomized patients. While the majority were able to define tracheostomy correctly, some specific notions such as the different types of cannula or possible complications remained unclear. In terms of practices, the most frequently performed treatments were suctioning secretions (76%) and cleaning the cannula (80%). Over three-quarters of participants reported the absence of a standardized protocol in their departments. Finally, 82% of nurses acknowledged that their care had a direct impact on patients' quality of life.