An Interactive Workshop to Increase Comfort and Knowledge Regarding Adult Tracheostomy Management: A Pilot Study

Objectives: In standard medical school and residency curricula, there is little formal training in the acute or chronic management of tracheostomies, yet consistent and correct care is critical to prevent and treat complications. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and comfort level of non-otolaryngology healthcare providers in the care of adult patients with a tracheostomy. Further, this study evaluated the effectiveness of an easily reproducible 1-hour workshop, employing both didactics and simulation, to enhance comfort and knowledge surrounding care of patients with tracheostomies.

Methods: Eighty-five participants across different medical specialties, levels of training, and care roles were included in this cohort study. The simulation included three 10-minute stations: 1) understanding the component parts of standard adult tracheostomy tubes, 2) management of a dislodged tracheostomy tube, and 3) management of a patient with a tracheostomy who cannot be ventilated. Participants completed a pre- and post-intervention self-assessment and multiple-choice questionnaire assessing comfort and knowledge.

Results: The 1-hour workshop increased participants’ comfort and knowledge. For the seven comfort-based questions, the average comfort level increased from 2.24 pre-intervention to 4.09 on a Likert scale (p < 0.001). For the eight knowledge-based questions, the average correct response rate increased from 36% to 69% (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: In this study, we demonstrated that there are significant knowledge and comfort deficits among non-otolaryngology healthcare professionals caring for patients with tracheostomies. The easily reproducible 1-hour workshop employed may be an effective starting point for improving knowledge of and comfort with adult tracheostomy care.