Validation and Reliability of the Tracheostoma Well-Being Score (TWBS) in Critically Ill Patients

Validation and Reliability of the Tracheostoma Well-Being Score (TWBS) in critically ill patients. Prospective observational study involving tracheotomized patients of a tertiary university referring center. Sixty-five tracheotomized patients completed the TWBS on at least two or more days. External assessments of probable problems with the inserted cannula for each patient were provided by the nurse treating that patient on the respective day. The test-retest reliability demonstrated a stable response pattern over repeated measurements. Criterion validity revealed a limited agreement between external assessment by healthcare providers and patients’ self-reported experience, highlighting discrepancies in symptom perception. The 12-Item-TWBS appears to be reliable. The results further underline the necessity of using a validated self-reporting tool to assess patient comfort, as external assessment appears to have shortcomings. The TWBS might be a valuable tool to more accurately appraise patient comfort with the indwelling tracheostomy cannula.