Basic airway management is a vital skill and consists of maintaining a clear and healthy airway. Should the airway become blocked, a patient’s life will cease after roughly eight minutes. Therefore it is one of the most essential parts of any assessment. The airway The airway is one of the main parts of the respiratory […]
Peak flow meters are an important tool in your kit bag to measure the volume and effectiveness of somebody’s lung capacity and the way they are breathing. It is most commonly used with patients with specific lung conditions such as bronchitis or emphysema. People who have COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, also use it. COPD […]
Tracheostomy patients are people who have had problems with their airway in the past, meaning a tracheostomy has had to be put in place. This could be due to things like cancer, trauma, or being in intensive care for a long period of time where the patient had to have assistance with their breathing. The […]
Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially fatal allergic reaction. It may start within seconds, minutes, or hours following contact with an allergen. An allergen is a substance that is capable of producing an allergic reaction. This happens when the body identifies a substance as harmful and wants to protect itself. Should someone have an anaphylactic […]
There may be a time when you have to treat a patient having an asthma attack who either does not have their inhaler with them or their inhaler is empty. In these cases where a replacement is not available, you would need to take other measures to control the attack before help arrives. The first […]
Drowning is defined as death within 24 hours of suffocation by submersion in a liquid, normally freshwater or seawater. Near-drowning implies successful resuscitation from suffocation caused by submersion. Secondary drowning refers to fluid accumulation in the lungs following what appears to be a successful recovery from a near-drowning event. What to Do if Someone is […]
Croup is an infection (normally viral but can be bacterial) that affects the voice box (larynx) and the airway to the lungs (trachea). It most commonly affects children aged between 6 months and 3 years. Most cases of croup do not need to be treated because the condition usually gets better on its own and […]
The Recovery Position is a way of placing the patient into a more safe and secure position. The Recovery Position allows you to monitor the patient easily and also negates the risk of them choking on anything. Use of Recovery Position After carrying out a primary survey, you will be able to tell if the […]
The function of the respiratory system is not only the intake of oxygen into the body but also the removal of carbon dioxide out of the body. This process is called Gas Exchange. Oxygen is vital for our survival, and carbon dioxide is toxic to the human body in large quantities – therefore this process […]
