(upbeat music)
- Hi, I'm Christopher Baker, the medical director
of the Ventilator Care Program
at Children's Hospital Colorado.
Today, you will learn more about what
you can expect from our program.
From the moment your child is referred for
chronic ventilation care, all the way through
your trip home.
We know that you have many options for your child's care
and we appreciate the opportunity
to partner with your family.
You can trust us to be there with you
and your child every step of the way
on the road to a healthier life.
- [Narrator] Your road to specialized care at the
Ventilator Care Program at Children's Hospital Colorado
begins when your ICU doctors consult the
Pulmonary and ENT specialists.
If you and your medical team decide that your
child needs long-term ventilation,
we will begin discussing a tracheostomy,
commonly known as a trach.
A surgical procedure that creates an airway
in the front of the neck and into the windpipe.
We will provide you with all the program
information and answer any questions
that you might have.
Once your family and medical team agree
that a tracheostomy is the next best step,
your child will undergo surgery
to have the device placed by an ENT surgeon.
Then your child will return to the ICU
to allow for time to heal.
It will be at least a week before your child
is transferred out of the ICU.
In some cases, it could be a lot longer.
After surgery, your child will likely be on
an ICU ventilator that can only be used
in the hospital.
Once stable with the new trach,
your child will be switched to a portable
ventilator which can be used at home.
Once your child is stabilized, you and your
medical team will have a transition care conference.
If possible, the home nursing agency you have
chosen will also attend this meeting.
Our ultimate goal is for you to leave our care
feeling confident and capable with your new team.
But we will always be here for you
to help in your continuum of care.
Now that your child is no longer critically ill,
the focus shifts from stabilizing your child's
life-threatening conditions
to learning the very important skills you'll need
to safely care for your child at home.
A child on a ventilator at home needs an alert, awake,
and trained adult caregiver present at all times.
Because this is nearly impossible for families
to do on their own, we rely heavily
on home nursing agencies.
Our case managers will give you the opportunity
to interview and decide on potential nurses
before you go home.
Finding the right nurse to meet your family's
needs can take some time, so we start this step
as soon as possible.
In addition to learning about the trach and vent,
you will also learn how to feed your child
and give medications.
And, most children will work with physical,
occupational, and speech therapists
to help them embrace living with their trach.
You will be very involved in this process.
If your child is able, we may try a one-way valve
which can help with speaking and eating.
We know that this transition is one
that will have an impact on the whole family unit,
so our wonderful Child Life specialist will be there
to help teach siblings about the patient's health
needs and what life at home will be like.
They also help empower siblings with knowledge
on what to do in case of an emergency.
While your child is getting stronger in the hospital,
you will need to get your home ready with all the
equipment necessary to provide safe care.
Back at the hospital, we will continue
to place a very heavy emphasis on educating you
to care for your child.
This includes learning CPR and practicing
on a mannequin that has a trach.
To further your comfort level, a respiratory
therapist will help you practice getting outside
and moving around the hospital with your child
and their equipment.
Before going home, you will be able
to practice responding to emergencies in our
one-of-a-kind simulation lab with a high-tech mannequin.
You will debrief with a team member
to talk about how it went and what can be done
to make sure you know what
to do when different scenarios happen at home.
You'll also practice transporting your child
in your vehicle.
You and a respiratory therapist will go on a
car ride together.
Finally, your family will be invited
to spend 24 to 72 hours providing all your child's cares.
This will give you a chance to practice
everything you have learned while still being
under the observation of your medical team.
During this independent stay, you will be
responsible for responding to alarms, giving medications,
feedings, and tending to all your child's needs.
And just before you leave,
we'll conduct a discharge care conference
so you can meet with your home nursing team
and make sure that everything is ready for your arrival.
We'll want to ensure you are 100% comfortable
with the plan.
We have now reached the end of the Ventilator
Care Program Roadmap and it is time for
your family to go home.
Our favorite part is seeing the smiles
on our patient's faces as they confidently walk into
their new life with a trach.
While it is a long road, you will be supported
every step of the way.
We look forward to walking this path
to a healthier tomorrow with you.