HINT: How to use checklists to promote safety when caring for children on home ventilation
Connected Care Quick Hits are up to date and evidence based recommendations for the care of children with medical complexity & technology dependence, from hospital to home.
HINT: How to use checklists to promote safety when caring for children on home ventilation
SITUATION:
This QuickHit comes from a review of consults made to Connected Care Live and highlights the important use of a Safety Checklist as a resource for everyday practice in home care for children on long-term ventilation.
BACKGROUND:
Children on invasive ventilation via tracheostomy require highly vigilant and skilled caregiving 24/7. Safety checklists are a helpful tool for all providers, family caregivers and home care nurses alike, in providing a standardized approach to identifying and addressing possible patient safety issues and promoting readiness for an emergency.
ASSESSMENT:
It is best practice for providers of children on invasive home ventilation to assess the child’s environment, equipment and supplies at the start of each shift and/or with any change in location.
Safety checks include verification of accessibility and functionality of all equipment including backup/emergency devices and related supplies. Safety checks can also promote partnership between the child/family caregiver and the home care providers (nurses) by including review of the plan of how and who to call for help in the event of an emergency.
RECOMMENDATION:
Connected Care recommends to use a checklist at the start of each shift to ensure a safety review of the necessary equipment required for the child's care and readiness in the event of an emergency.
The Paediatric Home Invasive Ventilation Care Safety Checklist recommended by Connected Care guides the provider through a review of the following:
Start Of Shift Discussion With Family Caregivers
Back Up Ventilator
Bedside Ventilator
Heated Humidity
Oximeter
Suction Machine
Emergency Tracheostomy Kit
Oxygen
Other
To access other evidence-based safety checklists developed by Connected Care register to use Connected Care Live and search or consult us to locate them!
Connected Care Live is not to be used in the event of an emergency.
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