• Identify the indications for and complications of a tracheostomy
• Note the differences and limitations of tracheostomy care at home versus acute care
• Demonstrate how to perform trach care (inner cannula changes, site care, cuff management, suctioning)
• Identify the steps for tracheostomy tube changes
• Discuss patient/family education for humidification, oxygen, nebulizers, and mechanical ventilation with trachs.

Swallowing Evaluation for Patients with Tracheostomy and Mechanical Ventilation Course provides in-depth information about how to perform an initial swallow assessment for this patient population.    Total course time is 1 hour 38 minutes.  The course includes effects of tracheostomy on swallowing, research of cuff deflation and how/when to perform cuff deflation, explanation of common mechanical ventilation settings and mechanical ventilation considerations with swallowing, timing of swallow evaluation, Blue Dye testing information, and speaking valves.  Instrumental swallow assessment comparison of modified barium swallow studies (MBS) and flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and the advantages and disadvantages.  Ventilator associated-pneumonia factors is also included.  Covid-19 considerations for patients with tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation is also covered.  

Free access to the Evidenced-Based Swallowing Evaluation Community is also included.  Here, you can ask the instructor any questions in a private forum.  

Learning Outcomes:

1.Learner will understand the normal breathing and swallowing relationship

2.List at least 5 complications of tracheostomy on swallowing

3. Determine the limitations of the modified evans blue dye test

4.Understand the difference between Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) and Modified Barium Swallow Study

5.Provide 5 ways to prevent Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)

Course presenter: Nicole M. DePalma, MS CCC-SLP

Nicole is the owner of NDoscopy Dysphagia Specialists, a mobile FEES (flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing) company servicing New York and New Jersey.  Her areas of expertise include dysphagia management and critically complex patients including tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation in a variety of settings including acute care, long term acute, subacute, and skilled nursing.  She is also a Clinical Consultant for Passy-Muir, Inc. 

Course Format: Video Powerpoint with author narration and video samples

Course Certificate is provided upon completion. 

Course access: 1 year from registration

Disclosures: Financial: Paid by Tracheostomy Education

Non-financial: Passy-Muir Clinical Consultant

Refunds:

No partial or full refunds for self-study courses, including on-demand webinars.
No refunds for participants who enroll without agreeing to terms of use.
You must complete the course within the time frame indicated at enrollment; course access will automatically expire after that time.

Accessibility:

Tracheostomy Education is committed to ensuring accessibility to the widest possible audience. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone. If you have questions, requests, or would like to report an accessibility-related issue, please email nicole@tracheostomyeducation.com.  We will review your request and respond in a timely manner.

• State 5 Anatomical areas visualized with FEES​
• State 5 clinical indications for conducting FEES with patients with tracheostomy ​
• State 5 dysphagia characteristics specific to those with tracheostomy​
• State 5 components specific to the FEES exam for individuals with tracheostomy​
• State 5 potential adverse outcomes related to FEES

The Mechanical Ventilation Webinar is an hour, 15min recorded course which will help the learner to understand the role of mechanical ventilation, the settings involved with setting up mechanical ventilation and different modes of mechanical ventilation with graphs and a whiteboard for better understanding. The instructor will explain the relationship between compliance and resistance and provide information on different pressures related to mechanical ventilation regarding lung mechanics (PIP, pleateu pressure, transpulmonary pressures, mean airway pressures). Common ventilator alarms and how to set them and basic weaning from mechanical ventilation will be discussed.  The mechanical ventilation webinar course is intended for clinicians working with patients with mechanical ventilation including respiratory therapists, physician assistants,  nurse practitioners, and nursing staff.  Speech-language pathologists may be interested in grasping ventilator information for a whole person approach.

Instructor: Terrence Sheffield, RRT-ACCS, RPFT, NPS, AE-C

Application for continuing education credit has been made to AARC for 1 CRCE.