Elsevier

Annals of Emergency Medicine

Volume 14, Issue 11, November 1985, Pages 1085-1092
Annals of Emergency Medicine

Prehospital endotracheal intubation: Rationale for training emergency medical personnel

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0196-0644(85)80927-6Get rights and content

Endotracheal intubation by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in the prehospital setting decreases morbidity and helps to improve the outcome of critically ill patients, especially those with cardiac or respiratory arrest, multiple injuries, or severe head trauma. The endotracheal tube facilitates better oxygenation and ventilation because it enhances lung inflation and protects the lungs from aspiration. No other alternative modality is as efficacious. Compared to physicians in general, properly instructed, well-supervised paramedics can be trained to perform this procedure safely and more efficiently in the emergency setting. The use of the endotracheal tube in the prehospital setting should be strongly encouraged and the training of EMS personnel in this skill should be given high priority.

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