Proper airway management in emergency medical settings can be life-saving and may prevent other complications, such as hypoxic brain injuries. Although most paramedics intuitively understand this, the stress of a high stakes emergency can make it difficult to provide skillful, quality care. Complications are common but largely preventable. Here is your quick-start guide to advanced airway management in 2018.

Pediatric airway obstruction may be a rare occurrence for EMS responders, but they are a frequent cause of pediatric death worldwide. According to the Mayo Clinic, choking is a common cause of injury and death among children.¹ And it could simply be a matter of time before you are called upon to relieve an obstructed airway or treat a child who is choking.

Airway obstruction can be one of the most intensive calls that requires a response from you, the rescuer. Few emergencies require such decisive, immediate action as an obstructed airway. You must recognize the signs, decide on an appropriate course of action, and treat effectively so the obstruction can be relieved and airway patency restored.

EMTs may not be able to perform the full range of advanced airway options that paramedics typically employ, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t responsible for recognizing a tenuous airway, performing a thorough assessment, and choosing the appropriate treatment strategy. All emergency responders must be capable of airway interventions, so today we’ll discuss the ins and outs of respiration and five things EMTs should always remember when dealing with respiratory emergencies.

The primary focus of most tactical medical kits is traumatic injury. These lightweight kits usually include equipment to handle different forms of trauma, from specialized bandages to chest seals and tourniquets.

When was the last time you worked a code? If you serve a busy, urban area, or a population heavy on retirees, you probably remain proficient in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). Drug therapies and dosages, intubation procedures, and post-resuscitation care are part and parcel to busy EMS systems. But what if you work in a slow-paced, rural setting, where the calls are few and far between? What happens to your ACLS skills if you rarely use them? Most likely, you lose them.

Respiratory emergencies are among the most critical patients you will encounter as an EMS professional. If the patient is unable to maintain airway patency, or you are unable to correct the underlying issue, there is no hope for his or her recovery. And when these critical situations are compounded by complications in the field, your patient's chances are reduced even further.

Example of edit made in “suggestion mode”. Summer is upon us, and it seems like only yesterday we were dealing with the winter woes of emergency medicine: traumatic injuries from winter sports, an onslaught of influenza as the temperatures plummeted, and the winter doldrums that can lead to depression and anxiety for those predisposed.

Trauma-related respiratory emergencies can be some of the most difficult patient scenarios to treat. Trauma comes in many forms: from blunt to penetrating to blast injuries involving any or many parts of the body. And when the trauma affects the respiratory system, whether through direct impact (oral or facial injuries) or indirectly (pneumothorax or hemothorax), your patient can teeter on the brink of survival.

Treating respiratory emergencies is never easy. And when they are compounded by trauma, they can be downright deadly. So, let's discuss what to look for when it comes to trauma-related respiratory emergencies.

As a paramedic, you know the most critical task you are called on to perform is managing the airway. Whether your patient is an asthmatic, struggling for breath; a pediatric suffering a partial blockage due to an inhaled object; or an unconscious trauma victim with a blood-clogged airway, the decisions you make and the actions you take will determine whether your patient lives or dies.