Final answer:
Tracheomalacia is a complication associated with long-term mechanical ventilation due to the softening or weakening of the tracheal cartilage from prolonged intubation or tracheostomy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse should recognize that tracheomalacia is a complication associated with long-term mechanical ventilation. Tracheomalacia is the weakness and floppiness of the tracheal walls which can occur when the cartilage of the trachea becomes soft or weakened over time due to prolonged intubation or tracheostomy.
Other potential complications of long-term mechanical ventilation include conditions such as ventilator-associated pneumonia, resulting from health care associated infections due to contaminated ventilators or other medical equipment, and atelectasis, which is the collapse of lung tissue affecting gas exchange. Prolonged mechanical ventilation can also lead to injuries such as a V/Q mismatch due to changes in lung compliance and resistance, as seen in various lung diseases such as fibrosis, asthma, or emphysema.