The amount of time a person is on a ventilator before switching to a tracheostomy can depend on various factors, such as the person's condition and the reason for being on a ventilator.
Research indicates that a person usually transfers from ventilation to a tracheostomy in 5–14 days.
Research from 2017 also notes that switching a person from a ventilator to a tracheostomy in a shorter amount of time may help to reduce their chances of developing hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP).