Self-reported comfort with tracheostomy tube care. Cross-sectional survey of non-ear, nose and throat health care professionals.
OBJECTIVE
To assess self-reported comfort of non-ear, nose and throat (ENT) health professionals in tracheostomy care and identify its associated factors.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional survey of non-ENT health care professionals, carried out from December 2011 to February 2013 at the Prince Sultan Military Medical City, and King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on self-rated comfort levels in performing tracheostomy tube change and factors, such as speciality, duration of dedicated ENT rotation in medical school, and years of experience as a practicing consultant.


RESULTS
A total of 71 non-ENT health professionals participated in the survey. The response rate was 100%. Overall, one out of every 4 participants (26.8%) rated their comfort level in tracheostomy tube change as 'fair or poor', 38% as good, and only 35.2% as excellent. Comfort level was the highest among anesthesiologists (94.1%), and intensivists (78.9%). In the multivariate analysis, physicians who reported ever performing tracheostomy tube change as a resident were significantly more likely to report comfort than their counterparts without such exposure (adjusted odds ratio: 7.09; 95% confidence interval: 1.90-26.40; p=0.003). When asked if there should be a mandatory course on tracheostomy care in tertiary care hospitals, most of the participants (60-72%), irrespective of their speciality, training and experience, replied in the affirmative.


CONCLUSIONS
Non-ENT health professionals involved in airway care had a low level of self-rated comfort with tracheostomy tube care suggesting the need for periodic refresher training to address this gap.
Department of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, Dammam University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Salma
S
Al Sharhan
Momena
M
Sohail
Khabir
K
Ahmad
Moghira I
MI
Siddiqui
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014139:Tracheostomy