Insert an Oropharyngeal Airway
Learn the history of the oropharyngeal airway (OPA) and review how to size the OPA for the patient, as well as the correct way to insert this basic, and effective, airway adjunct.
Prehospital Management of Difficult Airways
By Keith Widmeier, BA, NRP, FP C
A difficult airway is one in which the EMS provider identifies potential attributes of the patient that would make it difficult to utilize a bag-valve mask (BVM), insert an extraglottic airway, perform a laryngoscopy, and/or perform surgical airway interventions. It’s the ability to appropriately assess the patient’s airway that allows providers to predict which will be difficult, optimize their first attempt and ensure the highest likelihood of success when managing a patient’s airway. Thorough airway assessments help drive your clinical decision-making and help determine the tools you choose to wield when managing a particular airway.
Recent Comments