EMS Care Chapter 11 | Basic Airway Management

EMS Care Chapter 11 | Basic Airway Management begins with an introduction to the subject. We subsequently explore EMT Airway Management in-depth, including advanced airway adjuncts, with the following lessons:

1. The Physiology of the airway
2. The Pathophysiology of the airway
3. How to open an airway
4. How to use airway adjuncts
5. The principles and techniques of suctioning
6. Keeping an airway Open
7. Special Considerations

We cover the following core concepts

• Airway Adjunct use
• Inserting an Oropharyngeal Airway
• Inserting a Nasopharyngeal Airway
• Various devices and techniques used for Suctioning Airways

Important Notes:

• If you only want to take the Airway management online course for CME credit, you can pay here.  The fee for online-only does NOT include a skills session nor (re)certification.  You will receive a certificate for CME credit after successful completion of the course.
• This course is part of the EMT Recertification Day 1 curriculum and the New Initial EMT Course.  If you sign up for one of those courses, you will be automatically enrolled in this course. Click here for scheduled courses.
• To get credit for this course, you must watch all the lessons in their entirety, the course review, and pass the quiz at the end with a score of 75% or better.

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Excerpts from the course

The sudden onset of respiratory distress and stridor should suggest an upper airway obstruction. However, the causes of upper airway obstruction are numerous.  While airway obstructions can be caused by foreign bodies, loss of muscle tone, or swelling in the airway.  A variety of obstructions interfere with airflow:

• Foreign bodies such as food, and small toys
• Liquids including Blood, and vomit.
• Obstruction may also result from poor muscle tone caused by altered mental status.

The aim of the airway assessment is to establish the patency of the airway.  And additionally, assess the risk of deterioration in the patient’s ability to protect their airways.

• This is always addressed in every primary assessment.  Assessment of the airway must consider both the immediate and long-term patency.  And there are two questions that must be answered:
• First, is the airway open?
• And secondly, will the airway stay open.
• While the patient’s airway can be clear (if the patient is talking), partially obstructed (if air entry is diminished and often noisy) or completely obstructed (if there are no breath sounds at the mouth or nose)
• Observe patients for signs of airway obstruction: such as paradoxical chest and abdominal movements. This refers to a state whereby the chest and abdomen rise and fall alternatively and vigorously to attempt to overcome the obstruction.
• Also, look to identify whether skin color is blue or mottled.
• Airway assessment is a high priority.  So, as we know, without the ability to move air, the patient will die. In most cases, the airway is the first area checked during the primary assessment.
• Advanced Airway Adjuncts