You can tell a lot in the first few seconds of patient contact. Your initial survey begins the moment you step on scene. For example, there’s that “difficulty breathing” call that comes in the wee hours of the morning to an assisted-living residence you’ve responded to on countless occasions.

During a code, knowing where your supplies are located on your crash cart is just as important as having everything necessary. Navigating your way through a hectic code is much easier when you have the right items and an organized system for your crash cart. Here are some tips.

Every good nurse knows that the job involves much more than simply treating the patient’s current illness or injury. Instead, nurses should try to anticipate potential complications that could arise for their patients and implement measures to prevent them from happening.

Asthma is a common affliction, affecting 8% to 10% e of the population. Many childhood asthmatics grow out of the disorder in adulthood, so a disproportionate percentage of people with asthma are children. For most people, asthma is a minor inconvenience akin to – and often associated with – seasonal allergies. An unlucky fraction of asthmatics, however, have a more severe form of the illness.

As an EMS professional, one of the most critical decisions you will make is when to secure an advanced airway. Airway decisions are crucial: they must be expedient, effective, and appropriate.

Compared to some complicated or invasive patient procedures that you perform, nasotracheal suctioning may not seem like a big deal. However, there are risks involved, and proper technique and patient monitoring are crucial.

Nasopharyngeal and nasotracheal suctioning are safe, effective alternatives to oral suctioning, especially for patients with oral obstructions such as loose dentures or patients who are unable to cooperate with oral suctioning. Though the procedures are similar, nasotracheal suctioning requires deeper penetration. Here’s what you need to know about these two important interventions.

Residents of a skilled nursing facility are significantly more likely than other people to go to the hospital. These hospital stays can be disruptive and frightening, especially for people with dementia. The right medical equipment can manage many minor medical conditions, preventing them from worsening and reducing the need to transport residents to the hospital.

After successful intubation, your patient is mechanically ventilated with a patent airway, and his vital signs stabilize. Then, while transporting your patient, you notice a sawtooth pattern to the ventilator waveform. The patient’s cough is not “junky,” and his oxygen saturation remains stable.