Restoring Airflow After Tracheostomy to Enhance Swallowing Recovery, in partnership with Atos Medical
Course: #11472Level: Intermediate 1 Hour 402 Reviews
This course highlights early swallowing intervention strategies for patients with tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation, emphasizing the collaborative restoration of upper airway airflow across the ICU care team. Cuff deflation and speaking valves are reviewed, with a focus on how subglottic suction tracheostomy tubes enhance swallowing, secretion management, and cough, reduce VAP risk, and enable above-cuff vocalization through coordinated interprofessional care. This course was designed for an interprofessional audience.
On Demand
Course Type: Video
CEUs/Hours Offered: ASHA/0.1 Intermediate, Professional; Calif SLPAB/1.0; IACET/0.1; Kansas LTS-S1370/1.0; SAC/1.0
Course Preview
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Learning Outcomes
- After this course, participants will be able to analyze the impact of disrupted upper airway airflow after tracheostomy on swallowing, phonation, cough effectiveness, and secretion management, and how re-establishing airflow facilitates recovery of these functions.
- After this course, participants will be able to describe early intervention strategies - including cuff deflation, speaking valve use, and subglottic suction tracheostomy tubes - to support swallowing recovery and airway management.
- After this course, participants will be able to evaluate the clinical benefits of subglottic suction tracheostomy tubes in reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) risk, facilitating above-cuff vocalization, and enhancing swallowing outcomes.
- After this course, participants will be able to identify opportunities for interprofessional communication and shared decision-making between SLPs, Respiratory Therapists, and Nursing when using subglottic suctioning and implementing airflow restoration protocols at the bedside.
Course created on June 11, 2026
Agenda
| 0-10 Minutes | Introduction and clinical context; dysphagia prevalence and the role of disrupted upper airway airflow |
| 10-30 Minutes | Assessment considerations and why early intervention matters |
| 30-40 Minutes | Treatment considerations: Restoration of upper airway airflow with cuff deflation and speaking valves |
| 40-50 Minutes | Treatment considerations: Use of subglottic suction tracheostomy tubes - impact on VAP risk, above-cuff vocalization, secretion management, and swallowing outcomes |
| 50-55 Minutes | Interprofessional Reflection and Barriers |
| 55-60 Minutes | Summary, Q&A |
Reviews
402 ReviewsPresented By
Carmin Bartow
MS CCC-SLP
Carmin Bartow is a speech pathologist with over two decades of clinical experience in tracheostomy management. She served as a clinical specialist for Passy-Muir for several years and has provided tracheostomy-related education throughout her career. Carmin joined Atos Medical as a Tracheostomy Clinical Educator in 2024.
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Continued and its subsidiaries provide professional education authored by qualified Subject Matter Experts for continuing education purposes. These materials are intended for educational purposes and do not constitute medical advice or a substitute for individual clinical judgment. Continued is not a clinical healthcare provider; the licensed professional is solely responsible for ensuring that the application of any techniques or information presented is within their legal scope of practice and jurisdictional requirements.
Financial: Carmin Bartow is an employee of Atos Medical. Non-financial: Carmin Bartow has no relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Sponsor Disclosure: This Course is presented by SpeechPathology.com in partnership with Atos Medical.
Content Disclosure: This learning event discusses Tracoe Extract Tubes, a product manufactured by Atos Medical; however, the clinical methods and evidence-based practices presented are applicable to subglottic suction tubes broadly and are not limited to any single product or manufacturer.
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American Speech-Language-Hearing Assn.
Intermediate Level
0.10 ASHA CEUs
California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board
SpeechPathology.com is approved by the California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board as a Continuing Professional Development Provider, approval number PDP 268. This course may meet the requirements for 1.00 hours of continuing education credit for speech-language pathologists as required by the California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. The responsibility for determining whether or not this specific course counts toward an individual's requirements for license renewal is up to the individual. Please refer to the CA state board rules regarding allowable topics and self-study limits: https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/licensees/slp-au_cpd_req.shtml Live webinars on SpeechPathology.com are not included in the self-study limit under California professional development guidelines.
International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training
Continued, LLC, DBA SpeechPathology.com, is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Continued complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, Continued is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. continued, LLC, is authorized by IACET to offer 0.10 CEUs for this program.
Kansas Dept for Aging and Disability Services
Approved for 1.00 continuing education clock hour(s) for Kansas licensed Speech Pathologists by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. Long-Term Sponsorship number: LTS-S1370.
Speech-Language and Audiology Canada
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