What are the nursing priorities for tracheostomy care?

Tracheostomy care includes maintaining a patent airway through suctioning as needed using sterile technique, cleaning the inner cannula at least every eight hours or more frequently, assessing the stoma site for redness, swelling, drainage, or skin breakdown, securing the ties snugly enough that only one to two fingers fit beneath them, keeping a spare tracheostomy tube of the same size and one size smaller at the bedside along with an obturator for emergency reinsertion. Humidified air or oxygen prevents drying and crusting of secretions.