Emergency tracheal intubation has been widely advocated as a life-saving procedure in severe acute illness and injury, to secure the patient’s airway and provide oxygenation and ventilation. This article explains the process and actions required to assist in undertaking safe and effective emergency intubation of a patient with a compromised airway or respiratory function.

The role of the healthcare practitioner assisting in emergency intubation is vital, because failure to ventilate and intubate the patient is life-threatening.

The healthcare practitioner assisting the intubator must have the knowledge to assemble and check the equipment required for intubation, and must be able to position the patient appropriately to optimise success.

The healthcare practitioner assisting in emergency intubation requires appropriate knowledge and skills for the procedure to be performed safely. They must have the psychomotor skills required to assist the intubator, which involves handing them the equipment and connecting it in a timely manner. They should also understand the airway adjuncts that can be used should any difficulties be encountered in achieving intubation.

‘How to’ articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of:

How this article has changed your practice when assisting in emergency tracheal intubation.

How you could use this resource to educate colleagues on how to assist in emergency tracheal intubation.