Question: I would like to know the actual medical directive and/or guidelines regarding PCP’s transporting trach patients with no nurse, doctor or RT escort.

Additionally, what the medical directive is if staff is sending the patient to the ER without their vent, therefore, the paramedic is required to bag the patient via BVM for the duration of transport and until there is transfer of care at the ER?

Is this in the BLS scope of practice?

Question: In the ALS patient care standards it states that a Supraglottic Airway (King) is indicated when “Need for ventilatory assistance OR airway control AND Other airway management is inadequate or ineffective”

In the “un-controlled” world of EMS would it not be more effective to use a King over an oral airway after the first round of CPR is complete? The King allows for movement from the floor to stretcher with no worry about “losing” your airway. It also doesn’t fall out as an oral airway will in the difficult situations/extrications we face in the field. The fear of gastric distention is also completely alleviated, making the King more effective. It would also allow for constant compressions, which is the best treatment for cardiac arrest patients in pre-hospital settings according to the Heart & Stroke. I have had many discussions with other paramedics and they seem to think that you can’t use the King at all if you have an oral airway that is giving adequate control. So my question is, if you use the King on VSA patients, is it acceptable even if the oral airway will work (just not as adequately or effectively in my opinion)?