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Prehospital Pediatric Endotracheal Intubation: A Survey of the United States

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Samuel J. Stratton ,
Luanne A. Underwood ,
Sharon M. Whalen  and
Carol S. Gunter
Samuel J. Stratton*
Affiliation:
Los Angeles County EMS Agency, Torrance, Calif.
Luanne A. Underwood
Affiliation:
Los Angeles County EMS Agency, Torrance, Calif.
Sharon M. Whalen
Affiliation:
Lifeflight of Southern California, Long Beach, Calif.
Carol S. Gunter
Affiliation:
Los Angeles County EMS Agency, Torrance, Calif.
*
Emergency Dept., Bldg. D-9, LAC Harbor–UCLA Medical Center, 1000 W. Carson St., P. O. Box 2910, Torrance, CA 90509USA
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Abstract

Introduction:

The standard of practice and teaching for prehospital pediatric endotracheal intubation (PETI) in the United States currently is unknown. The accepted practice of prehospital PETI is of interest because it has contradictory support in the medical literature.

Hypothesis:

PETI is an accepted method of prehospital airway control in the United States.

Methods:

Nationwide mail survey (June 1991 to March 1992) of each state emergency medical service (EMS) agency and all known paramedic training sites.

Results:

The use of PETI is supported by 100% of state EMS agencies and the American Virgin Islands. Ninety-seven percent (339 of 349) of the responding (349 of 523) paramedic training sites reported that PETI was taught in their programs. The results of the survey did not identify a predominate method for instructing paramedics in PETI. Lectures, mannequins, operating room demonstration, animal models, and cadavers were used in various ways for teaching the skill.

Conclusion:

Endotracheal intubation is an accepted standard in prehospital pediatric care. This standard exists with marginal support in published literature and study of prehospital PETI is needed to define the benefits, risks, and optimal instruction methods for the procedure.

Keywords

endotracheal intubationemergency medical servicesemergency medical technicianspediatric advanced life supportpediatric emergency servicespediatric endotracheal intubationpediatric resuscitationprehospital emergency services
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , December 1993 , pp. 323 - 326
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 1993

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