2021 was another unique year for medical professionals, as the pandemic stretched into another year, reminding us how important it is to keep up with changing health and safety information.
That message resonates with SSCOR, because the products we produce often directly impact patient health and well-being. It’s also a big reason we like to keep our customers and friends in the emergency medicine sector informed through our blog.
As we look to 2022, these were the most-read blogs from the past year.
8 Signs of Dying from Aspiration Pneumonia
Aspiration pneumonia should always be treated as an emergency with the potential for a high mortality risk by first responders, doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers, as prompt intervention is a major predictor of survival.
This blog covers information that can help medical personnel take swift action to save the lives of people with aspiration pneumonia, such as:
- Risk factors for aspiration pneumonia
- Signs and symptoms of aspiration pneumonia
- Complications of aspiration pneumonia
What is Involved in a Respiratory Assessment?
Respiratory disease is a common health emergency and is the cause of:
- 10% of children’s emergency department visits
- Lung disease for one-in-seven seniors
- More than 4.6 million American adult deaths from 1980-2014
However, comprehensive respiratory assessments can detect respiratory problems before they become emergencies. This blog post takes you through the steps of performing a comprehensive respiratory assessment, which can provide important information about the patient’s status and clues about the next steps for treatment.
4 Types of Natural Disasters and Their Specific Injuries
The power of Mother Nature can be an amazing thing. Unfortunately, sometimes that power manifests itself as a natural disaster that leads to hospitalization for patients caught in its path.
In this blog post, we break down the specific injuries a hospital will likely see in patients following an earthquake, flood, hurricane or tornado.
What Are the Most Common Complications of Suctioning?
Many first responders express reservations about airway suctioning and the possible complications of doing so. However, suctioning the airway is a potentially life-saving procedure with a low risk of complication when performed correctly. It’s important to continually take educational classes and participate in drills, as this prepares you for managing even the most difficult airways.
Being aware of the most common complications of suctioning can guide technique and encourage teams to remain vigilant. This blog lays out the most common complications of suctioning and simple steps that can be taken to avoid them.
6 Complications of Suctioning and How to Prevent Them
Suctioning, like all medical procedures, carries some level of risk. However, analyses regularly show that small changes in technique, such as appropriately pre-oxygenating patients before suctioning, can reduce the risk of complications.
In this blog post, we provide specific strategies that you can implement when suctioning an airway to prevent:
- Hypoxia
- Airway trauma
- Psychological trauma
- Infection
- Bradycardia
- Personal harm
5 Things to Know About Suctioning Newborns
For decades, routine suctioning at birth has been the standard of care for newborns. However, recent evidence has called this practice into question, and many hospitals are moving away from it.
Still, this doesn’t mean that suctioning in newborns is obsolete. It’s important to know how to determine when suctioning is necessary, how to do so in a safe way and how to choose the right equipment – all of which is laid out in this blog.
Respiratory Failure vs. Distress
Respiratory failure and respiratory distress are both medical emergencies that present special dangers to vulnerable groups and demand prompt responses. To provide effective treatment to a patient, you must first determine which issue they are facing.
This blog post breaks down:
- Differences between respiratory failure and respiratory distress
- Signs and symptoms of each
- How to diagnose the issue
Looking to Next Year
Providing effective airway management to patients requires continual education on respiratory issues and techniques. As we move into 2022, our blog can help you stay up to date on current best practices.
It’s also important to ensure you have the proper equipment to face the various airway management issues you may encounter in the field so you can provide patients with the most effective and safest treatment possible.
