A patient receiving mechanical ventilatory support accidentally displaces the endotracheal tube out of the trachea. What would be the most appropriate action at this time?
a. Remove the tube and provide manual ven-tilation or oxygenation as necessary.
b. Push the tube back into the trachea by moving the patient's neck up and down.
c. Suction the oropharynx with a Yankauer (tonsillar) suction tip.
d. Apply manual ventilation or oxygenation directly through the endotracheal tube.
ANS: A
In these cases, completely remove the tube and provide ventilatory support as needed until the patient can be reintubated or the tracheostomy tube reinserted.
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