Skills Modules 3.0 - Airway Management

A nurse is caring for a client who has a cuffed endotracheal (ET) tube in place. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take? A. Repositioning the ET tube in the client's mouth every 12 hr B. Providing oral care every 24 hr. C. Applying the securing tape over the client's ears. D. Maintaining a cuff pressure of 35 mm Hg

A. Repositioning the ET tube in the client's mouth every 12 hr Moving the ET tube to the other side of the client's mouth every 12 hr (or according to facility policy) helps prevent irritation to the oral mucous membranes.

A nurse is performing chest physiotherapy for a client who needs help mobilizing and expectorating thick pulmonary secretions. To increase the turbulence of the air the client exhales, the nurse should use which of the following techniques? A. Vibration B. Percussion C. Nebulization D. Postural drainage

A. Vibration Vibration is used during or after percussion to increase the turbulence of exhaled air and loosen secretions.

A nurse is preparing to suction a client's tracheostomy. Which of the following actions should the nurse take? A. Suction for 30 seconds with each pass. B. Allow 2 min in between suctioning to reoxygenate the lungs. C. Use a rotating motion when inserting the catheter from the tracheostomy. D. Set the suction pressure to 180 mm Hg.

B. Allow 2 min in between suctioning to reoxygenate the lungs. The nurse should allow 2 to 3 min in between each pass to allow the client to cough and deep breathe and allow the lungs to reoxygenate.

A nurse is preparing to suction a client's oral airway. Which of the following devices or methods should the nurse use? A. In-line suctioning B. Yankauer catheter C. Bulb Syringe D. Open suctioning

B. Yankauer catheter Yankauer (tonsil tip) suction catheter helps clear secretions from the mouth. This is the appropriate device to use for clients who can cough effectively but cannot swallow or expectorate secretions.

A nurse is caring for a client who has a tracheostomy tube in place. During tracheostomy care, which of the following should the nurse place underneath the flange of the outer cannula? A. Commercially prepared transparent dressings B. Cotton-filled gauze square C. Commercially prepared fenestrated dressing D. Twill tape

C. Commercially prepared fenestrated dressing A commercially prepared tracheostomy dressing is made of material that does not unravel and has a fenestration (slit) designed to fit around the tracheostomy tube under the flanges.

A nurse is caring for a client who has a tracheostomy tube with an inner cannula in place. Which of the following supplies should the nurse use to dry the inner cannula of the client's tracheostomy tube after cleaning it? A. Paper towels B. Cotton-tipped applicators C. Folded pip cleaners D. Facial tissues

C. Folded pipe cleaners The nurse should use pipe cleaners to dry the inner cannula after cleaning because they remain intact without leaving any particulate matter the client could aspirate.

A nurse is suctioning a client's airway using in-line suctioning. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take? A. Hyperoxygenate the client before disconnecting the ventilator. B. Apply suction pressure while advancing the catheter. C. Wear a face shield during the procedure. D. Reuse the catheter repeatedly.

D. Reuse the catheter repeatedly. With in-line suctioning, the catheter attaches to the ventilator tubing and does not need to be replaced until the system is replaced. It can be reused repeatedly.

A nurse is caring for a client who sustained trauma to their head and neck and will require long-term airway support. Which of the following pieces of equipment will be required for home health care for this client? A. Nasopharyngeal airway device B. Oropharyngeal airway device C. Endotracheal tube D. Tracheostomy tube

D. Tracheostomy tube Tracheostomy tubes are used for long-term airway support. They are suitable devices for long-term management of airway obstruction.