Keep water out of your tracheostomy tube when you are bathing or showering.
Do not swim.
Do not use powders, aerosol sprays, strong cleaning liquids, and facial tissues (due to lint).
Stay away from dust, sand, and cigarette and other smoke.
Cover your tracheostomy tube with a scarf or HME if you are in cold weather, it is windy, or you will be near sand or dust.
Do not use over-the-counter cold medicines. These dry secretions and your airway.
Check your tracheostomy ties often. Make sure they are tight. You should be able toslip one finger under the ties.
Keep the tracheostomy site uncovered as much as possible. You need to see that the tracheostomy tube is in place.
If the tracheostomy tube comes out, slide it back in and tighten the ties.
If the tracheostomy tube is all the way out, put in the spare tracheostomy tube.
Be sure you always have an extra tracheostomy tube ready.
Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and have enough humidity to keep your secretions thin and loose. Suction often and deep enough to keep your tracheostomy tube clear of secretions.
Change your tracheostomy tube one time each week.
What to do if you cannot breathe through the tracheostomy tube
Take out the inner cannula.
Clean the inner cannula.
Put the inner cannula back in.
If you still cannot breathe, put saline solution in your tracheostomy tube to cause a cough. Try to suction. If you still cannot breathe, put in the spare tracheostomy tube.
Call 911 if the tracheostomy tube cannot be put back in.