Near Perfection in Airway Management is now possible #2

Steps Required to Soar with Eagles

• The Important decision to strive for excellence.

No great achievement is ever accomplished by accident. One must consciously decide to strive for excellence and greatness. When you make public your institutional goal to be among the best it is necessary to make a plan and begin to act on it. Get the data on your current state and find a way to measure accurately where you are. Do you talk about your nasty little secrets? - do you encourage the nursing and Airway specialists in your ERs and ICUs to report suboptimal results for the greater good?

• The Airway Lead concept.

UK leads the way in invoking a structure that encourages performance. Volunteer or work to appoint an Airway lead in your institution.

1.     Every Unit and Hospital has individuals who have developed extra skill and understanding about Airway Management. Celebrate these local resources and encourage them to teach and form the team needed for excellence. "The Lone Ranger" is a great person but this person may not be there when you want / need him or her.
2.     UK has a "National Airway Lead" to assist making this a reality for your institution or unit. The celebrated NAP4 ( 4th National Audit Project) had as a key recommendation that a local hospital "Airway Lead" should coordinate training and equipment to support the Airway managers team so that :

         Simulation equipment is readily available and training is carried out.

         Tools needed for modern airway management are ready for use , conveniently stored and charged . This would include Flexible scopes, video laryngoscopes like the Glidescope , SGAs, Bougies, Nasal Ventilation Masks, as well as traditional gear. An airway resource cart .

         Data is collected on disasters and highly skilled work as well.

• The Airway Toolkit
• "You know that you are excellent when you measure it."

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