Air medical tracheal intubation: establishing a threshold for this QA indicator.
Endotracheal intubation is a critical skill necessary in a number of situations encountered by air medical personnel. The purpose of this study was to establish a threshold for the quality assurance indicator of successful tracheal intubation in a physician-staffed air medical system. The records of all patients transported by a physician-staffed air medical system over a 36-month period were reviewed. One hundred and forty-three patients had endotracheal intubation attempted. Blind nasotracheal intubation attempts were successful in 71% of those in whom it was attempted, while the overall intubation success rate was 92%. Based on this study and the existing literature, a threshold of 90% is recommended for the quality assurance indicator of successful tracheal intubation in physician-staffed air medical systems.
Leicht
M J
MJ
Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA.
Melanson
S W
SW
Albright
D
D
D000401:Aircraft; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000592:standards*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*