Capnography has been said to be useful, but its not in Maine EMS protocol for basics. There is nothing wrong with reading a waveform if you are trained to do so. What do you think?
Define “trained to do so”.
Yes, with the right patient it is an extremely useful diagnostic tool.
What scenario would you think this to be most helpful?
Any scenario in which ventilatory status can be indicative of an outcome, is compromised, and/ or can be utilized to guide your differential diagnosis. Since you’re the basic asking us, why don’t you tell us where
you’d use it?
Do you think BLS should use it every call?
Absolutely not, nor should every paramedic.
Could using waveform interpretations at the BLS level save medics some work?
Eh, no more than it saves work for hospital staff when it’s performed by paramedics.
Again, the prudent clinician realizes and appreciates its value and can allow it to guide them down the proper treatment algorithms.
The SpO2 only measures how much of whatever is attached to the blood... whether it be CO2 or O2 it doesn't discriminate.
SPO2 gives a somewhat hindered value of oxygenated Hgb. CO2 doesn’t have a whole lot to do with oxygenation, and is indicative of a patient’s ventilatory status. This may or may not be hindered by several factors (e.g., underlying medical conditions be it metabolic, respiratory, or anything in between).
SPO2= oxygenation; CO2= ventilation. A relevantly important distinction.
“Something to play with” is absolutely not the right reason to ask for an expanded scope without understanding the value of said diagnostic tool. This goes for all of us and does our respective field no justice in general
.
I’m not saying EMT’s shouldn’t be allowed to understand, play with, or have ETCO2 monitoring, but perhaps a biiit more education is needed at the entry level to a basics training before this is universally adopted.
