title: Managing patients with a tracheostomy in acute care.
abstract: Most acute wards occasionally receive patients with tracheostomies, but relatively infrequent experience of caring for these patients means that nurses have limited opportunities to practise their knowledge and skills. This article examines the indications for using a tracheostomy and provides a problem-centred approach to patient care.
authors.affiliation: East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, Intensive Therapy Unit, Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Kent. philip.woodrow@ekht.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Woodrow
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000601:surgery*; D001458:Bandages; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*