Nursing Management of an altered airway patient and COVID-19 precautions

OHNNG was formed as a special interest group for nurses who care for ENT/Head and Neck patients.

We are not a governing authority however our stated objectives are to “keep members of the group informed of the latest developments” and “to act as a resource group for peer” and to that end I feel compelled to offer a variety of information regarding management of an altered airway during the current pandemic.

Of course, your hospital ENT department in conjunction with your infectious diseases department will formulate their own guidelines for management of altered airway Covid positive and Covid negative (or those with unknown status) patients. Your specific hospital policies and procedures should be followed.

For your interest I offer information from other sources that may be worthy of your consideration.

I would not hesitate to discuss the linked information with your unit directors.

• COVID19 – Health Care Worker PPE Guidance
• COVID19 – Tracheostomy guidance 18 March 2020
• NTSP considerations for tracheostomy in the Covid-19 outbreak
• Consensus statement: Safe Airway Society principles of airway management and tracheal intubation specific to the COVID-19 adult patient group
• Guidance for ENT surgeons during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Video – Donning PPE with PAPR
• Video – Doffing PPE with PAPR
• Video – Donning PAPR (unit assembly and donning)
• Video – Doffing PAPR (doffing and unit disassembly)