This article aims to explore the evidence relating
to the nursing care required for a patient with
a temporary tracheostomy tube in place. The focus
will be on patients where the tracheostomy has
been inserted as a planned intervention, rather than
as an emergency procedure for airway obstruction.
After reading this article and completing the time
out activities you should be able to below the cricoid cartilage in a percutaneous
insertion or between the first and second tracheal
cartilage ring in a surgical insertion (Docherty
2001). Once an incision has been made the
tracheostomy tube is inserted, forming an
artificial airway (Figure 1)