Emergency responders are the people on the frontlines of every accident, crisis and disaster. But over time — and especially in recent years — being subjected to these stressful, traumatic situations can cause burnout and negatively affect their mental health.

Training is an essential part of your job. With the demands of your work schedule, spending time with your family, and your daily obligations, you may find yourself struggling to find the motivation to put in extra time for training. But even the most skilled practitioners need to train—and train often—in order to best serve their patients when airway emergencies occur.

The ABCs of patient care begin with the airway. Does your patient have airway patency? Can your patient maintain his or her own airway? Are there any obstructions or contaminants obstructing the airway? Questions like these are likely second nature to you, and you probably don’t even realize you are asking them when caring for your patients.

They may not always be on the frontlines, but health care risk managers play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of patients. There is a time, however, to celebrate these professionals.

Patients come in all shapes and sizes, and the weight of your patient is an important consideration when deciding which treatment techniques to employ and what equipment to use. 

While tachycardia can be a sign of respiratory distress, it also can be a complication of interventions to treat respiratory distress, including suctioning. First responders and medical providers must have a clear understanding of the link between tachycardia and suctioning so that they can reduce the risk of patient injuries and improve both long- and short-term outcomes.