Airway suctioning is a routine part of a first responder’s job. From preventing aspiration pneumonia to clearing the airway of a drowning victim, the right suction machine is an integral part of your EMS toolkit. Yet many paramedics, EMTs, and other first responders avoid suctioning the airway unless they absolutely have to.

The past year has seen an unprecedented surge in airway emergencies, with millions of people across the globe infected by the COVID-19 virus. Whether your agency previously suctioned people daily or suction is new to your repertoire, odds are you’re doing more suctioning than ever before. 

Your BLS engine company is dispatched to a “difficulty breathing” call and your ALS rescue is still in the process of delivering their previous patient to the hospital. Dispatch is sending the next closest rescue, but the responding unit has just notified you that they are held up by a train. You arrive on scene, grab your O2 bag and jump kit and head inside. You and your fellow EMTs are on your own, at least for the next several minutes. You had better be prepared to assess and initiate treatment for a patient in respiratory distress!

Suctioning has long been a mainstay of both emergency and routine medical care, but in 2020, it truly came into its own. On a given team, there might have been one or two suctioning experts. But in the wake of the pandemic, every member of every team needed to become a skilled, compassionate expert at suctioning patients. 

Emerging evidence suggests that bariatric patients are at a higher risk of developing severe COVID illness. This means they may represent a disproportionate share of your patients during the pandemic. If you’re suctioning a bariatric patient, here are six complexities to consider. 

Purchasing any type of new medical equipment is a major decision, and portable medical suction is no exception. There are countless products available, all of which come with different sizes, shapes capabilities, and situation-specific features. So, how do you decide which medical suction device to buy?

As you first approach your patient, you hear him snoring and notice the familiar sound of gurgling coming from his mouth. You immediately know you will be working to manage his airway—all within seconds of looking at, listening to, speaking with, and touching the patient. In fact, the first few seconds when you approach your patient will likely give you the most clinical information about your patient’s condition. You are bombarded with your patient’s information rapidly, sometimes instantaneously.

The EMS industry seems to have different trends constantly—new technologies and improved techniques bombard you on what seems like a daily basis. In 2019, these trends appear to have a deeper focus on the EMS system as a whole and the ultimate goal of improving the system and focusing on the patient. Let’s look at a few EMS trends to watch in 2019 and how they can impact you and your practice.

In the last 8 years, rural America has seen 83 hospitals close their doors¹, putting added strain on already limited resources and leaving communities without access to emergency healthcare. The remaining hospitals are responsible for a wider radius of territory which has led to increased patient transport time. As a result, first response care has become even more crucial in rural communities when an emergency situation arises and every second counts.

Each change of season brings special challenges for EMS professionals. Depending on where you live, and the climate in which you respond, temperature extremes can dictate specific precautions when it comes to equipment maintenance. In the extreme north, where heavy snowfall impedes response, specialized gear such as tires and protective clothing may need to be employed.