Tracheostomy · Ventilator
Trach and ventilator care at home in Atlanta, with nurses trained on your child’s own equipment.
Yes, children with a tracheostomy or a home ventilator can get skilled nursing at home through GAPP, at no cost to families who qualify. The nurse handles airway care, suctioning and equipment checks on shift so you aren’t the only one watching the monitor.
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm · Toll free (877) 891-5222
What the nurse does on a trach and vent shift
- Suctions and cares for the airway as ordered.
- Checks the trach, ties and stoma site.
- Checks ventilator settings, alarms, tubing and humidification against the orders.
- Keeps the emergency go-bag and spare trach ready.
- Follows the emergency plan if the airway is blocked or comes out.
What you still do
You stay trained. Hospitals teach parents trach and vent care before discharge for a reason: you are the backup on every shift that isn’t staffed and every trip to school or an appointment. A good nurse makes you more confident, not less involved.
Before the first shift at home
- The discharge orders, including ventilator settings and suction frequency.
- The equipment company’s name and after-hours number.
- Your child’s emergency plan, written down where every nurse can see it.
- A place for supplies within reach of the bed.
Coming home from the NICU or PICU? Start with hospital-to-home transition. Nursing works best when it’s arranged before discharge day.
Who this is, and isn’t, a fit for
- A fit
Children under 21 on Georgia Medicaid with a trach, with or without a ventilator, and a doctor’s order for home nursing.
- Not a fit
Children who need hospital or facility-level care that can’t safely happen at home. Your child’s care team decides that.
Questions to ask any agency
- Who supervises the nurses on my child’s case, and how do I reach them?
- What happens if a nurse calls out? Will you tell me before the shift?
- How do you train nurses on my child’s specific equipment and orders?
- Can I meet or talk with a nurse before the first shift?
- How many of your nurses have worked with trachs and vents in children?
- Who do nurses call at night if a vent alarm won’t clear?
Trach and ventilator care questions
Can my child with a trach and ventilator live at home?
Many children with a trach, and many on a home ventilator, live at home with trained caregivers and skilled nursing. Your child’s care team decides when it’s safe to go home.
Does GAPP cover nursing for a child on a ventilator?
GAPP covers in-home skilled nursing for medically fragile children under 21 on Georgia Medicaid when a doctor orders it. The hours are approved per week based on medical need.
What if the nurse doesn’t show and my child is on a vent?
Trained family caregivers stay essential, which is why hospitals teach parents trach and vent care before discharge. Ask any agency, including us, how they handle call-outs and how early they’ll tell you.
Will the nurse know my child’s specific ventilator?
Nurses on your case are trained on your child’s equipment and orders before they work alone with your child.
Related care and help
- Complex respiratory care at home
Oxygen, BiPAP, cough assist and breathing treatments.
- Hospital-to-home transition
Getting nursing in place before and after discharge.
- Pediatric RN home care
Registered nurses for assessments, care plans and the most complex shifts.
- Pediatric home nursing (RN and LPN)
Skilled nursing shifts at home, covered by GAPP.
- Conditions we care for
SMA, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, brain injury and more.
- GAPP application help
We prepare and submit the GAPP paperwork with you.
- One Day of Care checklist
List everything you do in a day before the doctor visit.
Ask about trach and vent nursing for your child.
(404) 905-7699 Call (404) 905-7699- Hours
- Mon–Fri 9am–5pm. Closed Sat–Sun.
- Toll free
- (877) 891-5222
- Fax
- (404) 891-6466
- Office
- Ava Family Services, LLC
275 Interstate North Cir SE, Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30339