Final answer:
The nurse should keep the environment humid to prevent stoma drying for a patient with a tracheostomy. Frequent suctioning is important but doesn't prevent drying, and petroleum jelly should not be applied to the stoma.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse should manage the environment for a patient with a tracheostomy by keeping the environment humid. This helps to prevent stoma drying. Providing frequent suctioning is essential to maintain patency of the tracheostomy tube, but it does not prevent stoma drying. The application of petroleum jelly to the tracheostomy stoma is not recommended, as it can cause infection or blockage of the tube. Instead, using a tracheostomy collar or humidification system can help ensure that the air the patient breathes is moist and does not lead to drying of the stoma.