Air medical rapid sequence intubation: How can we achieve success?
Airway management is an essential component of the air medical transport of critically ill or injured patients. Many controversies surround the use of rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in the prehospital setting. The challenges of establishing an airway in this environment may exceed those in the hospital. However, it is clear that the same high standards for success demanded in the hospital must be applied to RSI in the prehospital setting for the practice to be accepted and result in positive outcomes. Given their volume of high acuity patients, air medical providers are ideal candidates for performing prehospital RSI. Undertaking this responsibility requires commitment to training and quality improvement. We present the components required to establish and maintain a successful air medical RSI program.
Swanson
Eric R
ER
Division of Emergency Medicine and AirMed, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, USA. eric.swanson@hsc.utah.edu
Fosnocht
David E
DE
Barton
Erik D
ED
D017732:Air Ambulances; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D007318:Inservice Training; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D014481:United States