Tracheostomy Care

Treatment associated with tracheostomy care can only be addressed by qualified professionals – This is where One Life comes in. Special care is essential to keep a Tracheostomy patient comfortable and well taken care of at home.

Daily assessments and management of a tracheostomy tube as per doctor’s instructions, dressing changes in case of drainage from the site or irritation from the tube on the skin – these are some of the instances that require professional nursing care. Additionally, patients often require assistance in activities of daily living, monitoring vitals and routine clinical care. These are also the various aspects that we cater to in the patients’ own homes.

Care provided by One Life:

  • Tracheostomy skin care
  • Suctioning the tracheostomy tube for clearing the mucus, proper breathing and avoiding chest infections.
  • Changing and cleaning the tracheostomy tube
  • Cleaning and disinfecting respiratory supplies
  • Getting showered/Bathed Shaved
  • Support with eating and drinking
  • Incontinence management
  • Medication management
  • PEG Feeding
  • Catheter Care
  • Monitoring vitals
  • 24 hour nursing care
  • Monitoring fluid intake
  • Attending to post Insertion complications and Emergency care

FAQS

What is home healthcare?

Home healthcare provides medical treatment for an illness or injury, with the goal of helping the patient recover, regain their independence and become as self-sufficient as possible. More than just providing excellent care at home, home healthcare provides quality care at a fraction of the cost.

Who needs home health care?

Patients who have undergone surgery and are in need of care, supervision and assistance at home.

Individual nursing care with special attention for patients who have recently been shifted from ICU to ward.

Patients who undergo complex treatment that requires use of medical equipment and medication monitoring.

People with chronic diseases and disabilities like Alzheimer’s, heart failure, kidney disease and diabetes who will require special care at home

Senior citizens who are in need of assistance for living and are looking for a supportive caregiver to help in healthcare and basic daily activities

For those who want to provide safe and quality care for their parents at home

Why should I opt for care at home?

Staying in familiar and comfortable surrounding helps recovery

Home care can help save up to 80% of the hospital admission costs.

We assist with basic personal needs like grooming, moving around, exercising inside and outside of the home, to dressing and administering medication.

Home health care comes with privacy and convenience

Additional stress involved with doctor visits and check- ups can be significantly reduced

By involving family members as part of the patient’s treatment, healthcare at home ensures personalized care for speedy recovery.

Helps the patient build confidence and re-gain independence.

Personalized and individual attention is required in case of post-surgery care

Why One Life?

Along with a professional team of healthcare experts with Global experience, we are also backed by a strong management that understands healthcare needs. We focus on the need of the individual to ensure excellent and reliable care. Our in-house multidisciplinary team has over 200 collective years of critical care experience and our protocols are developed based on JCI (Joint Commission International) standards. All our staff and service providers are well-trained not just medically but also to ensure that they are able to support the patient and family through difficult times.

Our quality standards ensure that we take ample care at every step to ensure the safety and comfort of the patient.

What services does One Life offer?

One life offers a broad range of services to clients of all ages in the comfort of their own homes. We provide:

Post hospitalization

Senior care

Chronic disease management

Skilled nursing

Physiotherapy

Doctor consultations

How One Life staff is different from other home healthcare players?

We recruit qualified staff and always perform a thorough background verified staff. And since all of them are our employees under our payroll, there is no chance for dilution of quality through third party vendors. We also invest in regular training and upskilling of our staff by qualified educators and senior clinicians in order to achieve the highest level of clinical and service standards. Our in-house training is focussed on the following core concepts.

Patient-centric care

Attaining benchmark quality

Interpersonal skills and team approach

Service excellence

Monitoring nursing sensitive components of Healthcare delivery in a Home Healthcare setting

How much do home healthcare services cost?

We believe that each patient’s requirements are unique and our charges will be based on the services required, and we shall be happy to provide an estimate for each patient based on consultation with the primary physician and the condition of the patient. Please contact us for more information regarding this.

What can I expect from the first home visit?

Once the service request is received, the patient is registered. We also immediately communicate the initial assessment schedule.

Our initial assessment team comprising of a medical officer and a Patient Care Coordinator visit the patient’s home and conduct an initial evaluation of overall health status of the patient and also study the home environment before initiating the care plan. Any changes to be made in the house to ensure safety and comfort of the patient and medical supplies or equipment to be bought to the house will also be discussed.

Forms to be filled up during the initial assessment include the Service agreement, Patient’s Rights & Responsibilities, General Consent Form & any other consent form (if applicable), Physical and Health Form, Environmental Assessment and Risk Assessment forms.

Expected start date and time of the service will be confirmed and an advance amount will be collected as cheque (depends on the type of service requested)

The allotted staff will reach the patient’s home along with the kit bag that contains patient file and other basic medical supplies.

Is initial assessment mandatory?

The initial assessment process is an orientation for both One Life and the patient and the family. It is an infallible opportunity for us to understand the the exact condition of the patient and prepare a suitable clinical plan.

It also helps in educating and engaging the family members involved in the patient’s care. Based on the assessment report, staff suitable for the service requested can be allotted and we have seen that this assessment plays a major role in providing effective care to the patient.

Is a tracheostomy permanent?

Tracheostomy may or may not be permanent, depending on its purpose. It serves as an alternative breathing route and once the medical issues are resolved, the tracheostomy tube can be removed. However, the decision of removing the tracheostomy tube will be taken by the medical team depending on the recovery of the patient.

What are the possible complications due to tracheostomy and actions to be taken?

Complications:

Mucous plug

Tracheostomy tube dislodgement

Persistent cuff leak

Faculty oxygen source or ventilation device

Ineffective humidification

Seek out non- tracheostomy related causes for distress ( Bleeding, Infection, Surgical emphysema)

Actions to be taken

Stay with the patient and provide high flow oxygen (Ambu Ventilation with O2 supplement)

Check Tracheal Airway patency, oxygen source and connections, cuff inflation and leakage.

Check the inner cannula if in situ, change if there is mucous plug.

Tracheostomy tube with mucous obstruction-Do suction, Deflate the cuff, and observe for response, if patient feels satisfactory do a complete assessment to find out the cause.

How is the team from one life trained to provide Tracheostomy care?

Our team has received comprehensive training to provide tracheostomy care over different situations and across ages

Our in-house simulation lab provides the right environment for our nurses to learn, practice and demonstrate critical nursing skills necessary for clinical performance.

Our clinical team conducts extensive analysis of client’s needs before developing the care plan and orient nurses accordingly.

We ensure there is seamless care co-ordination with the primary physician and make sure that excellent care as directed by medical needs is provided

In-home care up to 24 hours a day and our nurses are trained on checking on the patency of the tracheostomy tube, suctioning in case of any blockage in the trach tube, monitoring vitals and breathing/respiratory pattern. Our team also helps in assistance with personal care and chores, medication administration and escalating to the clinical team in case of any deviation from normal levels.

Continuous scrutiny of our staff’s compliance by daily/tri weekly /weekly supervision depending on the requirement.

Well-developed protocols for emergency preparedness in home settings and planning for high risk cases.

Are there additional costs associated with renting of medical equipment?

Yes, medical equipment is either sold or rented depending on the requirement, affordability and duration of need.

Are there any packages that One Life offers or would customize to include different services?

Yes. For complex care cases where an ICU or step down unit has to be developed at home, we will customize based on the medical needs of the patients.

Does One Life offer any facility to administer lab tests at the comfort of homes?

Yes, we do provide this service based on the requirement and need.

Are there timings to the nursing services that One Life offers?

Our service timings can be 12 hours or 24 hours depending on the patient’s request and their existing available support.

Are One Life's Doctors qualified and reliable?

All our doctors are MBBS or MD and have valid Medical Council of India registrations.

Are there any specific activities that a One Life professional will not do?

One Life’s care team will not undertake domestic work such as cooking, laundry, home or room cleaning, running errands outside or managing other house help.

Will One Life advise on any specific dietary requirements for the patients?

Yes, the nutritional requirements will be part of the initial assessment. In case of specialized dietary consultation, a dietician would be part of the process.