Upper airway obstructions affect the trachea, pharynx, or larynx. Though partial obstructions can be painful, complete obstructions can be life-threatening. Without treatment, they can quickly prove fatal. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 7.7 percent of people, including 8.4 percent of children, have asthma. Asthma rates have steadily increased across all age groups since the 1980s. And though most people with asthma lead long and healthy lives, asthma does increase the risk of respiratory emergencies, particularly in people with other health conditions. 

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 with suctioning, and proper technique and patient monitoring are crucial.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught many lessons. Perhaps one of the most important is that versatile equipment saves lives. Battery-operated portable emergency suction machines empower you to tend to patients wherever you find them—in their homes, in the emergency department, even in the parking lot. 

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.

Today, paramedics have a range of options when it comes to advanced airways. With the advent of the Combitube and the King airway, there are alternatives to oral or nasotracheal intubation. Oral intubation using an endotracheal tube is still considered the airway of choice, but there are situations where nasotracheal intubation is the better alternative.

A tracheostomy can save a patient’s life, improve their quality of life, and help them live more independently. Yet this vital medical device also increases the risk of certain infections, especially pneumonia. 

The transition to a new year is a fine time to revisit emergency preparedness plans—both for your agency or organization and for the larger community you serve. These six recent emergency preparedness studies should inform your own planning, as well as your educational efforts within your community. These emergency management trends can help you stay ahead of the curve.