A patient in the ICU has had an endotracheal tube for 3 weeks. The physician has ordered that a tracheostomy tube be placed. The patient's family wants to know why the endotracheal tube cannot be left in place
What would be the nurse's best answer?
A) The physician feels that mechanical ventilation will have to be used long-term.
B) This is really the physician's decision; you will have to ask him.
C) When an endotracheal tube is left in for more than 3 weeks, there is an increased risk of complications such as damage to the laryngeal nerve.
D) It is harder to breathe through an endotracheal tube.
Ans: C
Feedback: Endotracheal intubation may be used for no longer than 3 weeks, by which time a tracheostomy must be considered to decrease irritation of and trauma to the tracheal lining, to reduce the incidence of vocal cord paralysis (secondary to laryngeal nerve damage), and to decrease the work of breathing. Options A and B are incorrect as they do not answer the question being asked and shunt the question to the physician instead of meeting the family's need for information.
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