Head Shift Maneuver Essay

As Emergency Medical Providers there are various challenges when it comes to the patient’s airway, but opening their airway is the most crucial because if you do not have an open airway no oxygen will reach the patient’s lungs which in turn does nothing to assist the patient. According to the class power point, “Emergency medical care begins with ensuring an open airway on the patient”. Also the power point states, emergency medical techs have to “rapidly assess whether an unconscious patient has an open airway and is breathing adequately, position the patient correctly, supine position is most effective”. To open a patient without a suspected c-spine injury the Head Tilt-Chin Lift Maneuver could work. The steps for a Head Tilt-Chin Lift Maneuver
The oropharyngeal airways are used in unresponsive patients with a gag reflex or apneic patients being ventilated with a bag-mask device. However an oropharyngeal should never be used on a conscious patient or a patient who has an intact gag reflex”. A second device to open a patient’s airway is the nasopharyngeal airway, which is slid down the patients nose to open their airway, “this is used in patients who are unresponsive or has an altered LOC, has an intact gag reflect, or is unable to maintain his or her own airway. Do not use a nasopharyngeal on a patient who has had a severe head injury with blood in the nose or a history of fractured nasal bones”. In summary, when arriving on scene it is crucial to keep yourself and your partner safe and immediately began checking the patients ABCs; the most crucial is opening their away and maintaining their airway until a king airway is available or an ALS unit is available to intubate the patient, remember to treat life threats that you see as you go, don’t go through a whole patient assessment then go back to open their