VL exclusively

[Tigger]

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana (1863-1952), Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason, Vol.1

This can easily be applied to EMS. Specifically regarding one's training. BLS before ALS. My grandmamma used to always tell me, "Remember who are and where you come from". Wise woman. I use that a lot and it hasn't failed me yet. I highly doubt that it ever will.

That phrase needs to die. The right intervention at the right time is what matters.

 

[TXmed]

That phrase needs to die. The right intervention at the right time is what matters.

Fully agree

 

[E tank]

So when will your new fangled whatchamacallit break on you? When your patient can least afford it to break. Technology fails. Technique won't. Use technology. I know I will. But when it fails do your patient a huge favor and make d@mn sure your technique doesn't.

What technique do you use when your ambulance won't start?

 

[VentMonkey]

I didn't understand the remark either. Without carrying this thread completely off of the rails I will add, most of my mentors have been and are older than I. The one thing none of them do is pigeon-hole themselves with labels. They, much like myself, are truly committed to learning over a lifetime. The ego has a funny way of keeping humility at bay circling back to the frustrations seen in outliers such as myself.

@MSDeltaFlt I'm not knocking you, and I have zero clue what sort of provider you are. What I am saying is progression is a result of reflection, and not the other way around. There's just absolutely no way for us to call this a practice if we're not keeping an open mind, especially when time and time again we're seeing improvements with technology such as VL, and its many manufacturers.

Equipment is equipment regardless of the type, so again, none of us understand what it is you're trying to prove. You check it like you would any other piece of equipment--frequently. As far as technique, while as @StCEMT pointed it out, I think we're all pretty much in agreement on the importance of proper basic airway adjuncts and manuevers. Your testimonial remark has no place in this thread.

Back on topic~ I think one attempt with VL, then straight to a modernized blind airway is the near future, if not strictly SGA's. Aside from the services who actively practice routine, adequate airway training.

 

[Carlos Danger]

As I said before, I am pretty confident that the time is coming that VL will be considered the standard of care, and DL without a good reason will thus be considered substandard care.

At one time, the same arguments that are currently being used against VL were used against Sp02, EtC02, and ultrasound.

 

[NPO]

As I said before, I am pretty confident that the time is coming that VL will be considered the standard of care, and DL without a good reason will thus be considered substandard care.

I can't believe that VL isn't already the standard of care. The only arguments against are dogma and cost. Neither of which are significant.

 

[StCEMT]

My first pass success with VL + bougie this month is 100%. I just finished a call that I intubated and after clearing the airway it was as smooth as I could hope for. I still will use DL, but VL has been making a trend as my first line option lately and my results are definitely better with it.

I didn't ignore technique though. I just used the appropriate method with the equipment I used.