Standard

rev.02/23/04

EMS 130 - Respiratory Emergencies

(To Review Previous Version of this Standard and Guide, Click Here)

Course Description

This unit is designed to help the Paramedic assess and treat a wide variety of respiratory related illnesses in the pediatric and adult patient.  Topics include a review of anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology of foreign body airway obstruction, recognition of respiratory compromise, use of airway adjunctive equipment and procedures, current therapeutic modalities for bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, spontaneous pneumothorax, and hyperventilation syndromes.  This section also provides expanded information for adult respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary thromboembolism, neoplasms of the lung, pneumonia, emphysema, pulmonary edema, and respiratory infections.  This course provides instruction on topics in Division 2 (Airway), Section 1 (Airway Management and Ventilation) and Division 5 (Medical), Section 1 (Respiratory) of the USDOT/NHTSA Paramedic National Standard Curriculum.

 

Competency Areas

Hours

 

Airway Anatomy and Physiology

Class

4

Pathophysiology of Respiratory Diseases

D. Lab

2

Physiology of Ventilation and Respiration

P. Lab/O.B.I.

0

Pharmacological Intervention of Respiratory Emergencies

Credit

5

Use of Adjunctive Equipment in Respiratory Emergencies    
Integration of Assessment Findings and Management    
Special Considerations    

 

 

 

Prerequisites:

EMS126, EMS127, EMS128, EMS129

Corequisite:

None

 

Course Guide

 

Competency

After completing this section, the student will:

Hours

Class

D.Lab

P.Lab/

O.B.I.

TERMINOLOGY

2

0

0

 

Define gag reflex.

 

 

 

 

Define gastric distention.

 

 

 

 

Define atelectasis.

 

 

 

 

Define FiO2.

 

 

 

 

Define complete airway obstruction.

 

 

 

 

Describe peak expiratory flow.

 

 

 

 

Define pulsus paradoxes.

 

 

 

 

Define and differentiate between hypoxia and hypoxemia.

 

 

 

 

Describe the modified forms of respiration.

 

 

 

 

Define, identify and describe a tracheostomy, stoma, and tracheostomy tube.

 

 

 

 

Define, identify, and describe a laryngectomy.

 

 

 

 

Define how to ventilate with a patient with a stoma,

including mouth-to-stoma and bag-valve-mask-to-stoma ventilation.

 

 

 

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE AIRWAY

10

6

0

 

Identify the anatomy of the upper and lower airway.

 

 

 

 

Describe the functions of the upper and lower airway.

 

 

 

 

Explain the differences between adult and pediatric airway anatomy.

 

 

 

 

List factors that cause decreased oxygen concentrations

in the blood.

 

 

 

 

List the concentration of gases that comprise atmospheric air.

 

 

 

 

Describe the measurement of oxygen in the blood.

 

 

 

 

Describe the measurement of carbon dioxide in the blood.

 

 

 

 

List the factors that increase and decrease carbon dioxide production in the body.

 

 

 

 

Explain the relationship between pulmonary circulation and respiration.

 

 

 

 

Describe the voluntary and involuntary regulation of respiration.

 

 

 

 

Describe visual landmarks for direct laryngoscopy.

 

 

 

CONTROL AND VENTILATION OF THE AIRWAY

24

12

0

 

Explain the primary objective of airway maintenance.

 

 

 

 

Identify commonly neglected prehospital skills related to airway.

 

 

 

 

Define and explain the implications of partial airway obstruction with good and poor air exchange.

 

 

 

 

Describe causes of upper airway obstruction.

 

 

 

 

Describe manual airway maneuvers.

 

 

 

 

Describe the Sellick (cricoid pressure) maneuver.

 

 

 

 

Describe complete airway obstruction maneuvers.

 

 

 

 

Explain the purpose for suctioning the upper airway.

 

 

 

 

Describe the indications for suctioning the upper airway.

 

 

 

 

Identify techniques of suctioning the upper airway.

 

 

 

 

Identify special considerations of suctioning the upper airway.

 

 

 

 

Identify special considerations of gastric decompression.

 

 

 

 

Describe the indications, contraindications, advantages,

disadvantages, complications, and technique for inserting an oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airway.

 

 

 

 

Describe the indications, contraindications, advantages,

disadvantages, complications, and technique for ventilating a patient by:

Mouth-to-mouth,

Mouth-to-nose,

Mouth-to-mask,

One person bag-valve-mask,

Two person bag-valve-mask,

Three person bag-valve-mask,

Flow-restricted, oxygen-powered ventilation

 

 

 

 

Explain the advantage of the two person method when ventilating with the bag-valve-mask.

 

 

 

 

Compare the ventilation techniques used for an adult patient to those used for pediatric patients.