As a paramedic or EMT, your first responsibility in patient care is to secure a patent airway. Whether you are placing an EOA to elevate the tongue of an overdosed patient, suctioning the oropharynx of a trauma code, or inserting an endotracheal tube for a patient who has stopped breathing, a thorough understanding of the structures that make up the respiratory tract is a must. Here is a brief review of airway anatomy to ensure you're ready for the next respiratory emergency.

Chief among a health care provider’s worst nightmares, apart from losing a patient, is unintentionally doing harm to one. In addition to a feeling of failure or shame, a poor outcome carries the risk of a malpractice allegation.

The right suction catheter can save patients’ lives. The wrong one can cause pharyngeal injuries, reduce suction power, and even increase morbidity and mortality. Whether you’re purchasing suction catheters for portable use in EMS settings, for the hospital, or for a medical clinic, selecting a variety of tips is key. This strategy ensures that providers always have the right suction catheter on hand. Here are some questions to ask before making your next purchase.

Over the years, anesthesia has become increasingly common in most surgical procedures — even minor ones. In fact, approximately 40 million surgical procedures utilize an anesthetic each year. Some procedures, such as dental extractions and implants, require anesthesia, regardless of the patient’s preference. 

As a foundational tool in the basic airway management toolkit, bag valve mask ventilation can save lives, relieve patient stress, and make transport easier. Bag valve mask ventilation is appropriate when a patient shows signs of hypoxic respiratory failure, apnea, or hypoxically induced altered mental states. Patients who are hyperventilating or have sustained injuries that reduce respiratory effort may also require ventilation. It may be appropriate to ventilate women in labor when there is reason to believe that they are not getting adequate oxygen or are so fatigued that breathing becomes difficult.

It’s a nightmare scenario, but if your hospital experiences a total power outage, you still need to care for patients. You might be able to navigate the darkened rooms with a flashlight and emergency lighting, but how will you oxygenate that ventilated patient? How will you suction them?