Effect of Tracheostomy Care Training on Nurse’s Performance at Critical Care Units in Erbil City

Background and objectives: Tracheostomy is one of the oldest known surgical procedures. Tracheostomy patients are at high risk for airway obstruction, impaired ventilation, and infection as well as other lethal complications. Skilled bedside nursing care can prevent these complications. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of progressive tracheostomy care practice on nurses and physiotherapists in the ICU and RCU in Erbil City-Iraq. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted at four Intensive Care Units (ICU) and Respiratory Care Unit (RCU) Hospitals (Hawler Teaching Hospital, East Emergency Hospital, West Emergency Hospital, and Lalav RCU Hospital) in Erbil City/Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Nurses and physiotherapists from hospitals were selected as the control group, and study group respectively. Nurses and physiotherapists were evaluated through the demographic data questionnaire and tracheostomy care (preparatory phase, performance phase, and follow-up phase) scale. Results: A total of 90 nurses and physiotherapists (40 nurses and 5 physiotherapists from the interventional group and 38 nurses and 7 physiotherapists from the control group) participated. At the end of the study, there were significant improvements in tracheostomy care practice (P-value was 0.001). Conclusion: Nurses and physiotherapists had incompetent practice regarding tracheostomy care (TC) in the ICU, and RCU and the nurses and physiotherapists who received progressive tracheostomy care procedure training had more knowledge and practice than those who did not attend this program. Attempts should focus on improving tracheostomy care in ICUs and RCUs and establish management guidelines.