As you first approach your patient, you hear him snoring and notice the familiar sound of gurgling coming from his mouth. You immediately know you will be working to manage his airway—all within seconds of looking at, listening to, speaking with, and touching the patient. In fact, the first few seconds when you approach your patient will likely give you the most clinical information about your patient’s condition. You are bombarded with your patient’s information rapidly, sometimes instantaneously.

The EMS industry seems to have different trends constantly—new technologies and improved techniques bombard you on what seems like a daily basis. In 2019, these trends appear to have a deeper focus on the EMS system as a whole and the ultimate goal of improving the system and focusing on the patient. Let’s look at a few EMS trends to watch in 2019 and how they can impact you and your practice.

Emergency personnel and first responders are surrounded by a vast assortment of equipment every day. From cardiac monitors to suction units to airway supplies to IV medications—you name it, you have access to it on your rig or in your department.

The weather is still cool in much of the country, and warm springs have not yet given way to hot summers. Oppressive heat is just around the corner, though, so now is the perfect time to brush up on sun safety. Many first responders focus solely on the effects the sun can have on patients. EMS professionals are just as vulnerable, especially in hot regions where they must spend long days in the sun. Here are five things you need to know to keep yourself safe while tending to patients.

As the cold begins to thaw across the country, many families begin planning their spring and summer vacations. With students out of school and families taking road trips, more people are on the road in the summer, which unfortunately means that car accidents increase during the summer months. Now is the time for your agency to begin preparing for the inevitable uptick in summer auto accidents. Here’s what you can do to save lives:

A rapid response team (RRT) is a group of specially-trained individuals who are brought together as a team and respond immediately when activated for various patient situations within the hospital. The RRT model was initially implemented as part of the 100,000 Lives Campaign by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in response to flaws in the existing healthcare system. Since then, deployment of an RRT at the first sign of patient decline has been established by IHI as a new standard of care within hospital systems nationwide to reduce patient harm and deaths.

It makes sense that a relatively controlled environment, such as a hospital, has different suction requirements than unpredictable prehospital care environments. Portable suction units are generally thought of as tools to be used in the EMS setting alone and may not be given much thought in the hospital setting. This is an error that hospitals cannot afford to make. Beyond the needs of crash carts and emergency departments, suction units should be a key aspect of the hospital’s disaster plan. Here, we compare the needs of both prehospital and hospital suction units and how the right choice of suction unit can make an impact on both your efficiency and your patients’ outcomes.

Prehospital care providers and emergency personnel understand that even the most basic skill or task is not without its risks to the patient. Because it is a skill taught in basic prehospital classes and may be performed frequently, providers may assume that oropharyngeal suctioning is second nature and does not require the time or effort to improve skills or review safety. However, safely caring for the patient is your priority—and considering various aspects of oropharyngeal suctioning allows you to make sure this fundamental skill remains as safe as possible for all patients, all the time. Let’s explore some safety tips based on these oral suctioning considerations in order for you to provide your patients with the safest care possible.

Invented in 1907 by Dr. Sidney Yankauer, the Yankauer suction tip has withstood the test of time. The rigid Yankauer suction tip was originally designed to remove blood and secretions from a patient’s oral airway during tonsillectomy procedures. In fact, many practitioners call the Yankauer a “tonsil tip” suction device for this reason.

Pediatric respiratory emergencies may make even the most seasoned provider nervous. It’s safe to say that when a child is hurt or sick, the situation becomes more serious. Your pediatric patient is not simply a smaller version of your adult patient. Children require special considerations, especially when a child is experiencing a respiratory emergency. There are a few things to keep in mind about pediatric respiratory emergencies: variations in pediatric airway anatomy, common respiratory emergencies in children, assessment techniques, and equipment choice. Let’s review how all of these factors relate to pediatric respiratory emergencies and how you can be better prepared when facing such an emergency.