title: Paramedic intubation errors: isolated events or symptoms of larger problems?
abstract: Paramedics provide life-saving emergency medical care to patients in the out-of-hospital setting, but only selected emergency interventions have proved to be safe or effective. Endotracheal intubation (the insertion of an emergency breathing tube into the trachea) is an important and high-profile procedure performed by paramedics. In our study population, we found that errors occurred in 22 percent of intubation attempts, with a frequency of up to 40 percent in selected ambulance systems. These findings indicate frequent errors associated with this life-saving technique. These events might be emblematic of larger issues in the structure and delivery of out-of-hospital emergency care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, USA. wanghe@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Henry E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Judith R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lave
authors.forename: Carl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sirio
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Yealy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017211:Treatment Failure