73: Resuscitate Before You Intubate: How to NOT KILL YOUR PATIENT When You Intubate

Intubation is a life-saving intervention, but it can also kill your patient! That’s why this follow-up episode to last week’s patient story is covering the process of intubation, what can go wrong and how nurses can mitigate risk factors to avoid bad outcomes like cardiac arrest. In part two of this intubation series, host Sarah Lorenzini details proper intubation preparation and the role of nurses during intubation. She walks through the entire process from assembling a team to what supplies and medications you need, and how to use them so that you reduce harm to the patient. You’ll hear about key factors to consider when giving patients sedative or paralytic agents, as well as how to prepare for a blood pressure drop after intubation. This episode is full of useful information that will help you during your next intubation, such as pre-oxygenation strategies, RSI (rapid sequence intubation) vs when to opt for DSI (delayed sequence intubation), and how to mitigate some of the negative side effects that go along with these drugs. Plus, find out how Sarah’s patient story from last week’s episode ends. Tune in for all this and more!

Topics discussed in this episode:

The dangers of intubation, such as peri-intubation cardiac arrestWhat it means to intubate and how to prepare for intubationWhy and how to preoxygenate your patientSupplies and equipment needed for intubationThe medications we use for intubation and what to expect once you push themThe pathophysiology of why BP drops after intubationHow to prepare for a drop in blood pressure post-intubationWhen to opt for delayed sequence intubationThe intubation story of last week’s patient

Mentioned in this episode: Rapid Response and Rescue Intro Course CONNECT