Assessment of healthcare professionals' knowledge of managing emergency complications in patients with a tracheostomy.

BACKGROUND Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeons perform the majority of surgical tracheostomies. Intensive care anaesthetists are increasingly performing bedside percutaneous tracheostomy. The objectives of this study were to characterize emergency complications of tracheostomy and to ascertain healthcare professionals' knowledge of life-saving strategies for the patient with a tracheostomy. METHODS Seventy staff members in two large teaching hospitals completed an interview questionnaire, comprising a simple clinical scenario and unambiguous questions regarding the emergency management of patients with a tracheostomy. RESULTS There were significant gaps in knowledge among healthcare professionals regarding the management of specific tracheostomy-related emergencies. CONCLUSIONS Knowledge of tracheostomy-related emergencies appears to be insufficient among non-ENT healthcare professionals. This needs to be addressed in order to maximize patient safety.