Your team’s airway management is only as good as its medical suction units. Diligent practice, exceptional technique, and skillful assessments cannot compensate for a medical suction unit that does not work well. Sometimes, fixing suction issues is a simple matter of better storage or keeping an extra battery on hand. In other cases, such as those detailed below, it may be time to replace your suction device.

There are many unexpected symptoms that can stem from common traumas and accidents, and individuals often suffer significant airway damage from traumatic events. Around the world, injuries such as car accidents, gunshot wounds and concussions account for over 3 million non-fatal injuries per year. These common trauma scenarios can happen to anyone, and it’s critical that providers and patients understand the airway damage that results from physical trauma.

Whether you are an EMS administrator or you work within a hospital setting, there comes a time when old equipment must be replaced. Different agencies will have different bureaucratic processes, but it usually comes down to cost. What do we need, and how much can we spend?

If you are in the market for a portable suction device, you’ll notice that there is a large variety of different products available. Depending upon your intended use, you will need to evaluate several things. Consider, for example:

Swimming is a great form of exercise that can be very beneficial to a person’s overall health. Who doesn’t love a good dip in the pool, right? On the flip side, swimming can also present a number of respiratory issues and cause breathing dysfunction. It’s important to know the respiratory risks of swimming before hopping in the pool.

Seeking care for airway concerns and conditions can be overwhelming for many patients, especially if they’re experiencing certain symptoms for the first time, or they’re not as knowledgeable about their airway health.

It’s a scary moment for even the most experienced first responder: A baby has been delivered in the hospital parking lot and isn’t breathing. Or a newborn’s parents call, sobbing, and report that their baby is in respiratory distress. Caring for babies facing respiratory emergencies is emotionally and physically challenging work. Baby airways are much smaller than those of adults, and the stakes are very high. A respiratory injury to a baby in respiratory distress can prove catastrophic. Here’s what you need to know to provide exceptional care to your most vulnerable patients.

The call came in the moment you placed your gear on the truck—a high-speed crash at that same dangerous intersection. Police on the scene are reporting they have three patients, one of whom is in cardiac arrest. CPR is being administered by bystanders. You hit your siren and respond.

Health and safety can change in the blink of an eye, and one of the most severe ways that can happen is through having an allergic reaction and experiencing anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is caused by the over-release of chemicals, specifically histamines, which force a person’s body to go into shock. There is a wide spectrum of reactions that one can have during anaphylaxis – ranging from mild to life-threatening. It’s critical that patients and providers know what to look for to identify allergic reactions and anaphylaxis and remain proactive in seeking treatment.