What families have in the emergency tracheostomy kits: Identifying gaps to improve patient safety. Issue 12 (29th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Amin, Reshma; Zabih, Weeda; Syed, Faiza; Polyviou, Joanna; Tran, Tuyen; Propst, Evan J.; Holler, Theresa
• Is Part Of: Pediatric pulmonology. Volume 52:Issue 12(2017)
• Page Start: 1605
• Page End: 1609
• Publication Date: 2017-05-29
• Subjects: pulmonology (general) -- social dimensions of pulmonary medicine; Pediatric respiratory diseases -- Periodicals; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; 618.922
• DOI: 10.1002/ppul.23740
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 8755-6863

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the contents of parent‐created emergency tracheostomy kits and identify deficiencies. Methods: This was an observational study. Data on emergency tracheostomy kits were abstracted for 30 consecutive children who had a tracheostomy tube in situ during an outpatient clinic visit with the Division of Respiratory Medicine and/or the Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children between February 1 and October 30, 2016. A checklist of 12 essential items based on expert consensus was used to evaluate each tracheostomy kit. Results: Emergency tracheostomy kits from all children were missing at least one item from the 12‐item checklist. Nineteen (63%) kits had three or more critical items missing. All kits had the same size tracheotomy tube. Twenty‐two (73%) kits did not have a half size smaller tracheostomy tube. Fifteen (50%) were missing a manual resuscitation bag and four (13.3%) were missing a suction machine. Children who had tracheostomy tube in situ for ≥4 years were more likely to have ≥3 missing items in their kit (43.4%) compared to those who had tracheostomy tube for <4 years (20%), (χ2 (1) = 9.85, P = 0.0017). Conclusion: Maintenance of a fully stocked emergency tracheostomy kit can save a child's life. It is incumbent upon healthcare providers to ensure ongoing reassessment of knowledge and skills required to care for a child with a tracheostomy tube and to regularly review the components of a child's emergency tracheostomy kit.