Jung Yooun-Joong, Kim Younghwan, Kyoung Kyuhyouck, Keum Minae, Kim Taehyun, Ma Dae Seong, Hong Suk-Kyung
Department of Nursing, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Surgery, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Acute Crit Care. 2018 Nov;33(4):252-259. doi: 10.4266/acc.2018.00248. Epub 2018 Nov 30.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of using a systematic approach to tracheostomy care by a clinical nurse specialist and surgical intensivists for patients with a tracheostomy who were transferred from the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) to the general ward.
In this retrospective study, subjects were limited to SICU patients with a tracheostomy who were transferred to the general ward. The study period was divided into a preintervention period (January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2010) and a postintervention period (January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2014), and electronic medical records were used to analyze and compare patient characteristics, clinical outcomes, and readmission to the SICU.
The analysis included 44 patients in the preintervention group and 96 patients in the postintervention group. Decannulation time (26.7±25.1 vs. 12.1±16.0 days, P=0.003),length of stay in the general ward (70.6±89.1 vs. 40.5±42.2 days, P=0.008), length of total hospital stay (107.5±95.6 vs. 74.7±51.2 days, P=0.009), and readmission rate of SICU decreased due to T-cannula occlusion (58.8% vs. 5.9%, P=0.010).
Using a systematic approach to tracheostomy care in the general ward led to reduction in decannulation time through professional management, which resulted in a shorter hospital stay. It also lowered SICU readmission by solving problems related to direct T-cannula.