VentMonkey
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Forget the EMT/ paramedic assessment debate for a minute, but how many fresh out of school paramedics even look for, take into account, or are prepared for that difficult airway the second their eyes hit the patient?
Sure Mallampati scores may be brushed up on, perhaps Cormack scores too. They may touch on ramping a morbidly obese patient, but even with this how many will readily honestly say you know what the best I can do is effectively BVM, or let me just direct to SGA vs. knowing the proper patient for their skill abilities?
Hopefully schools are beginning to emphasize this methodology. Yes, ETT still has its place in the prehospital setting IMO, but the split second decisions most likely need to be much more accurate. And yes, without VL I don’t think any paramedic has any business attempting to intubate a predictably difficult airway.
Sure Mallampati scores may be brushed up on, perhaps Cormack scores too. They may touch on ramping a morbidly obese patient, but even with this how many will readily honestly say you know what the best I can do is effectively BVM, or let me just direct to SGA vs. knowing the proper patient for their skill abilities?
Hopefully schools are beginning to emphasize this methodology. Yes, ETT still has its place in the prehospital setting IMO, but the split second decisions most likely need to be much more accurate. And yes, without VL I don’t think any paramedic has any business attempting to intubate a predictably difficult airway.