The nurse is caring for a client who has sustained a closed head injury, resulting in lack of respiratory effort, 2 weeks ago. Which airway would be appropriate for this client?
1. Oropharyngeal airway
2. Nasopharyngeal airway
3. Endotracheal tube
4. Tracheostomy
Correct Answer: 4
This client is 2 weeks post-injury, and continues to be unable to provide adequate respiratory effort to maintain oxygenation, so the best airway choice would be a tracheostomy. Endotracheal tubes can provide an artificial airway for ventilation short term, but after 5-7 days they are usually exchanged for a tracheostomy because of the trauma created by movement of the tube to the airway. An oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal airway would not be appropriate for a client with inadequate respiratory effort requiring mechanical ventilation.
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