Nursing Journal Entry Week 3

This journal entry recounts a critical incident during a nursing practicum in a critical care unit. A 75-year-old patient with a tracheostomy suffered respiratory distress due to the nurse's failure to adhere to the established tracheostomy protocol. The lack of proper suction equipment and the absence of a Tracheostomy Chart contributed to the patient's emergency. The incident highlights the significant implications of neglecting tracheostomy protocols, emphasizing the importance of the chart for feeding, risk assessment, dressing, and suctioning. The timely intervention of the respiratory therapist and the Rapid Response Team was crucial in stabilizing the patient's condition. The entry reflects on the importance of emergency management procedures and the role of interprofessional collaboration in critical care settings. The author notes the deviation from standard procedure, where the respiratory team was called before the Rapid Response Team, prompting reflection on optimal emergency response strategies.

1Running head: NURSING
Nursing
Name of student:
Name of university:
Author note:

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Journal entry week 3
As a nurse I have been completing my practicum in critical care unit wherein a 75-
year-old patient was admitted with Tracheostomy. The concern arose when the nurse was not
competent in following the tracheostomy protocol. The suction equipment was not attached,
and the Tracheostomy Chart was not ordered. The patient suffered respiratory distress as a
result of this negligence. The respiratory therapist and the Rapid Response Team were active
after which the patient condition could be revived.
Tracheostomy is the surgical procedure in which the trachea is opened through which
an indwelling tube is placed so that the patient can overcome an obstruction in the upper
airway (Dickson, 2017). The purpose is the facilitation of mechanical ventilatory support or
the removal of tracheobronchial secretions. Negligence in following the Tracheostomy
protocol has wide implications as the patient would face severe breathing trouble since the
tube is the primary source of the airway (Morton et al., 2017). The Tracheostomy Chart is
essential as the commencement of feeding for the patient must be confirmed based on the
instructions present in the chart. Risk assessment for the patient is also dependent on this
chart. The other vital factors associated with the chart are tachometry dressing and tracheal
suctioning (Adam, 2017).
It was a suitable intervention to approach the relevant professionals apart from the
physician and nurses as a form of emergency management. In case of patient emergency, it is
imperative that the Rapid Response Team is the first line of action taken for reviving the
patient condition. However, in the present case, the respiratory team was called in first
(Morton et al., 2017).

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References
Adam, S. (2017). Critical care nursing: science and practice. Oxford University Press.
Dickson, C. D. (2017). From Stigma to Silver Linings: Improving the Experiences of Long-
term Tracheostomy Users Through Product Design(Doctoral dissertation, Auckland
University of Technology).
Morton, P. G., Fontaine, D., Hudak, C. M., & Gallo, B. M. (2017). Critical care nursing: a
holistic approach. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.