Skill Development in Suctioning Technique among Caregivers of Patients Going to be Discharged with Tracheostomy Tube in situ

Abstract

Most of the patients (whose GCS is more than 8) are discharged from Neurosurgery Departments with tracheostomy tube in situ. Periodical suctioning is required to maintain the airway patent. The caregivers need to learn the technique of suctioning. The current study was undertaken with the objective to develop skills in suctioning technique among the caregivers of the patients going to be discharged with tracheostomy tube in situ. An interventional study was carried out in the neurosurgery wards of a tertiary care hospital. Care givers of twenty-one subjects were purposely selected. An interview schedule and an observation checklist were used to collect data. The procedure was demonstrated to each subject. Following this, their performance score was recorded three times, i.e., on the same day, the next day and on the third day of demonstration. 76.2% of the subjects were male. 71.4% were married. The mean age (years) of the subjects was 32 ± 7.4 (range of 21–46 years). 47.6% were within the age group of 31–40 years. The maximum performance score of suctioning technique was 31 (100%). Before demonstration, the mean performance score of the subjects was 3.1 ± 5.2 (10.1%). In the first follow up, the mean performance score was 17.9 ± 4.2 (57.7%). It increased to 23.3 ± 4.9 (74.5%) in the second and 29.3 ± 1.5 (94.6%) in the third follow up. The difference in the mean performance score from the pre-demonstration to the first follow up was 47.6%, in second it was 64.4% and in the third the difference was 84.5% which was significant (p < 0.05). The intervention was effective in developing skills in performing suctioning amongst the caregivers. The results of this study provide further strategies for other caregiver guidance programs.