Question

Your patient has a tracheostomy and is on a ventilator. He presents in acute respiratory distress. You assess his trach tube and it appears clear, but there is something wrong with the ventilator. You do not notice any loose fittings or disconnected tubes. The airway is clear and he is sitting upright. What is your next step?

A. Try to further troubleshoot the ventilator.
B. Call the manufacturer's service hotline.
C. Connect your oxygen tank directly to the tracheostomy tube.
D. Disconnect the patient and ventilate him with a bag-valve device.

Answer 1

If the patient presents in acute respiratory distress and the trach tube is clear, the next step is to troubleshoot the ventilator. If unable to troubleshoot, manual ventilation using a bag-valve device may be necessary. The correct option is A.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a patient with a tracheostomy and on a ventilator presents in acute respiratory distress, the first step is to ensure the trach tube is clear, which you have already done. Since you have ruled out any issues with the trach tube, the next step would be to troubleshoot the ventilator.

Check the settings and connections on the ventilator to ensure it is functioning properly.

If you are unable to troubleshoot the ventilator or find any issues, then you would need to take manual control of the patient's ventilation by disconnecting them from the ventilator and using a bag-valve device to manually ventilate the patient. Option A. is the correct one.