EMS FIELD INTUBATION

Course overview

FIELD INTUBATION IS THE PLACEMENT OF AN ADVANCED AIRWAY OR ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE (ET) BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) PERSONNEL OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL SETTING. ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE INTUBATION (ETI) HAS LONG BEEN THE STANDARD FOR AIRWAY CONTROL IN THE PREHOSPITAL SETTING AND IS THE FOCUS OF THIS ACTIVITY. WHILE ET PLACEMENT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF USE IN THE PREHOSPITAL SETTING, ITS USE IS NOT WITHOUT CONTROVERSY. WHEN COMPARED TO IN-HOSPITAL INTUBATION, HIGHER FAILURE AND COMPLICATION RATES HAVE BROUGHT THE PRACTICE OF FIELD INTUBATION INTO QUESTION. NEVERTHELESS, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN AIRWAY CONTROL IS PARAMOUNT, AND THE ABILITY TO INTUBATE A PATIENT WHO HAS NO AIRWAY CONTROL IS A CRITICAL SKILL FOR PREHOSPITAL PROVIDERS. THIS PROCEDURE REQUIRES SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROPER TECHNIQUE AND INDICATIONS FOR ITS USE. LOCAL PROTOCOLS AND MEDICAL DIRECTION SHOULD GUIDE PREHOSPITAL PROVIDERS REGARDING THEIR USE. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES FIELD INTUBATION PROCEDURES IN THE PREHOSPITAL SETTING AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE PREHOSPITAL PROVIDER IN PERFORMING FIELD INTUBATIONS ON PATIENTS WHO REQUIRE DEFINITIVE AIRWAY CONTROL IN THE PREHOSPITAL SETTING.