UHDB trialling new role to provide tailored care tracheostomy and laryngectomy patients
UHDB is trialling a new role to provide tailored care and specialist training to staff who are caring for patients who have had a tracheostomy or laryngectomy.
Crystal Coe, UHDB’s first ever Tracheostomy Nurse, has been in the role for around four months and is working with colleagues across Royal Derby Hospital and Queen’s Hospital Burton to provide training and guidance for caring for this cohort of patients.
A laryngectomy is a permanent procedure which involves the separation of the airway from the mouth, nose and oesophagus. In a total laryngectomy, the vocal chords and voice box are also removed.
A tracheostomy is an opening created at the front of the neck so a tube can be inserted into the windpipe to help patients breathe. Patients may need to have a tracheostomy for many reasons, including airway maintenance, in the treatment of head and neck cancers or when receiving care in Intensive Care if they are unable to breathe unassisted.
Crystal says that having the right knowledge and confidence in caring for tracheostomy and laryngectomy patients is incredibly important: “Caring for tracheostomies and laryngectomies is vital and can be life-saving. Most well patients can look after their tracheostomies themselves, but when they become ill, they need help to continue doing so."
Another benefit to providing the best possible care to these patients is that their length of stay in hospital is reduced and it can also help prevent hospital admissions and attendances to community health care settings.
Crystal added: “I think there’s a bit of stigma around caring for patients with a tracheostomy or laryngectomy, but staff have nothing to worry about. These patients have a clearer, safer airway than anyone else, so it’s my responsibility to ensure staff feel comfortable and have the knowledge to care for them correctly.”
Although a large part of Crystal’s work focuses on providing training for her colleagues and the patients she is directly involved in the care of, she also acts as a support to the families that are looking after patients with a tracheostomy and laryngectomy offering advice where needed which helps prevent unnecessary admissions.
She said: “At the moment, a lot of my work is with our respiratory teams, offering training, support and guidance, and also training and support for other areas of the Trust such as our Emergency Department and our medical admission areas that may not see these patients very often.
“This is such a satisfying role as it can be really lonely, especially for patients who’ve had a total laryngectomy, so it’s really important to be there for them.”
While the role is currently only a trial, Crystal has high aspirations for the role going forward.
She continued: “In the future I’m hoping to be able to expand the role and branch out into helping patients in the community and to roll out this training to colleagues in primary care who have already been expressing an interest in this unique training.
"This will help prepare more areas in the community for accepting these patients with confidence that they can provide the right, safe care."