A patient with a tracheostomy tube has an order for oxygen.Which action by the nurse is appropriate?

A) Apply sterile gloves to connect the oxygen to the tracheostomy tube.
B) Check the oxygen tubing frequently to make sure water is present in the tubing.
C) Attach the T tube to a humidified oxygen source.
D) Monitor the response to oxygen with hourly arterial blood gas levels.

The T tube connects an oxygen source to an artificial airway such as a tracheostomy tube.Humidification is necessary because the artificial airway bypasses the normal humidification process of the nose and mouth.Clean gloves,not sterile gloves,are used to connect oxygen to the artificial airway.Fluid should be drained from the tubing so that it does not provide a medium for bacterial growth.Hourly arterial blood gases (ABGs)are not the standard for monitoring patients with artificial airways and oxygen.