Respiratory emergencies among the elderly are common. As an emergency responder, especially if you work in warmer climes – such as Florida and Arizona – where many people go to retire, you will frequently be called upon to administer life-saving treatments for those in respiratory distress.

Both basic and advanced airway management can save lives. Neither is more important than the other, and neither is a “better” option. When basic airway management is the safest and most effective option, immediately escalating to advanced airway management can be immensely harmful.

It’s astonishing how fast a 12-hour shift in the hospital can go. You find yourself in constant motion, carefully assessing each patient and making sure to complete all of your necessary duties before the next nurse comes on to relieve you.

A suction catheter is one of the most versatile, useful pieces of medical equipment in your supply bag. Whether it’s preventing emergencies before they start or offering life-saving treatment when a person cannot effectively breathe on their own, the right suction catheter is critical to doing your job. Here are seven key uses for suction catheters.

Tracheostomies are increasingly common, particularly in long-term skilled nursing facilities and intensive care units, which means all medical providers must master tracheostomy secretion management. Tracheostomy reduces cough strength, lowers subglottic pressure, and weakens sensations in the pharynx and larynx.

Ask any emergency responder and they'll tell you the critical role portable suction plays in maintaining airway patency. No other tool can remove blood, vomit, or sputum from the airway, or allow you to visualize the cords before intubation.

In the popular Showtime series “The Affair,” a lead character is haunted by the dry drowning death of her young son. Interest in so-called dry drowning has accelerated in recent years, thanks in part to a handful of high-profile cases and fictionalized accounts. While the phenomenon of dry drowning is real, the term is a colloquialism--not a medical diagnosis.

You are about to head out on a call for a 65-year-old man who is reported to be suffering from sudden respiratory distress. Few details are known about this man’s medical history, so you aren’t entirely sure what you are about to encounter. You grab your First In bag, knowing that your airway management tools mean you’re well–prepared for any airway emergency.

Intubation forms a cornerstone of advanced airway management, giving patients oxygen in both emergencies and the surgical suite, in addition to providing long-term breathing support for critically ill patients. Patients will need both immediate and longer-term support following intubation, regardless of the reason for the procedure. Monitoring patients during intubation and providing appropriate follow-up care and support can improve outcomes as well as quality of life.