Lecture Review: Tracheostomy Care, Interprofessional Roles, Healthcare Facilities, Infection Control, and DASH Diet

Vocabulary flashcards covering clinical skills, tracheostomy procedures, healthcare team roles, care facility levels, infection control precautions, and dietary guidelines.

Semifowler's position

Position in which the patient is placed during tracheostomy suctioning to allow for optimum lung expansion.

Pre-oxygenation

The process of setting the ventilator to deliver $100\%$ oxygen or using a resuscitation bag before suctioning.

Tracheostomy suctioning depth

The technique of advancing the suction catheter until resistance is met, then withdrawing it $1\,cm$ before applying suction.

Tracheostomy suctioning time limit

The maximum duration allowed for applying suction while withdrawing the catheter, set at $10\text{ seconds}$ at a time.

Tracheostomy suction attempts limit

The maximum recommended number of suction attempts per procedure according to most facility policies, which indicate no more than $3$ attempts.

Inner cannula cleaning solution

Hydrogen peroxide or a half-and-half mixture used with cotton-tipped swabs and brushes to clean the inner cannula and surrounding stoma skin.

Physical Therapist (PT)

A healthcare provider who conducts a detailed assessment and determines the treatment, education, and assistive devices needed for rehabilitation.

Occupational Therapist (OT)

A healthcare provider who works with patients on practical tasks and activities of daily living (ADLs), sensory-motor, cognitive, and neuromuscular functioning.

Speech-Language Pathologist

A therapist whose goals include reducing communication disorders, treating eating and swallowing disorders, and teaching lip reading.

Medical Social Worker

A master's-level prepared professional who addresses emotional and social aspects of illness, counseling, payment sources, and crisis intervention.

Assisted Living Facility (ALF)

A residential facility designed for active seniors who need assistance with basic ADLs, with an average cost of around $5,000$ per month, typically paid out-of-pocket.

Nursing Home Medicare limit

Medicare coverage provision that pays for a cumulative total of $90\text{ days}$ of care within a $12\text{-month}$ period.

Standard Precautions

Infection control measures applied to all patients regardless of diagnosis, including hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, safe injection practices, and appropriate PPE.

Airborne Precautions

Isolation precautions required for known or suspected Tuberculosis (TB) or COVID-19, requiring an N95 mask and a designated Negative Pressure Room.

Negative Pressure Room

A specialized isolation room having at least $6\text{ to }12$ air exchanges per hour that vents room air directly outside.

Droplet Precautions

Isolation measures used for patients with serious illnesses transmitted by large particle droplets, such as Influenza, Haemophilus meningitis, and certain pneumonias.

Contact Precautions

Precautions used for multidrug-resistant bacteria and enteric infections such as C. diff, VRE, MRSA, ESBL, E. coli, Shigella, Hepatitis A, and Rotavirus.

Reverse Isolation

Protective measures (neutropenic precautions) including a private room, mask, gown, and gloves used for leukopenic or immunocompromised patients.

DASH Diet

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; an eating plan developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

DASH Diet sodium limit

The standard daily sodium limit of $2300\,mg$ per day under DASH guidelines, or $1500\,mg$ per day for a lower option.