Medication-Facilitated Advanced Airway Management with First-Line Use of a Supraglottic Device - A One-Year Quality Assurance Review.

Introduction: Airway management is a controversial topic in modern Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems. Among many concerns regarding endotracheal intubation (ETI), unrecognized esophageal intubation and observations of unfavorable neurologic outcomes in some studies raise the question of whether alternative airway techniques should be first-line in EMS airway management protocols. Supraglottic airway devices (SADs) are simpler to use, provide reliable oxygenation and ventilation, and may thus be an alternative first-line airway device for paramedics.

Unrecognized cardiac arrests: A one-year review of audio from emergency medical dispatch calls.

Objectives: Immediate recognition of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) by Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) operators is crucial to facilitate timely initiation of telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR) and to enable the appropriate level of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response. The goal of this study was to identify patterns that can increase EMD-level recognition of cardiac arrests prior to EMS arrival.

Methods: The Combined Communications Center in Alachua County, Florida provided audio recordings of all emergency calls from January 1, 2018 to November 16, 2018 dispatched as a chief complaint other than OHCA, but later identified as cardiac arrest.

Paramedic determination of appropriate emergency department destination.

Background: Freestanding emergency departments (FSED) are equipped to care for most emergencies, but do not have all the resources that hospital-based emergency departments (ED) offer. As the number of FSEDs grows rapidly, emergency medical services (EMS) must routinely determine whether a FSED is an appropriate destination. Inappropriate triage may delay definitive care, potentially increasing morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization.