2004 OPEN FORUM Abstracts
INTUBATION PERFORMED BY RESPIRATORY CARE PRACTITIONERS: A TEN YEAR ANALYSIS
John D Davies RRT; Michael A Gentile RRT; Janice J Thalman RRT FAARC: Neil R MacIntyre MD FAARC, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
BACKGROUND: Endotracheal intubation (ETI) is an invasive and potentially life saving procedure. A centralized service with well trained practitioners and continuous monitoring can provide an effective airway service. For more than thirty-five years ETI has been performed by Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCP’s) at our institution. We report the retrospective data for the last ten years.
METHODS: Data were collected during the ten year span of 1993-2003 through the use of designated airway forms. The information collected on these forms was then entered into a central database. The intubations took place in all areas of the hospital and included cardiac arrests. From 1993-1994 the RCS department completion rate was not followed. Also, during that time frame, the clinical definition of an intubation attempt was changed from a visualization to an actual passage of an endotracheal tube through the oropharynx.
RESULTS: From 1993-2003 RCP’s averaged 868 intubations per year. The RCP completion rate has improved on a steady basis to 96%. The RCS department completion rate has remained at 99% for 1995-2003.
| Year | Intubations | Attempts | RT Completion Rate | RCS Dept Completion Rate |
| 1993 | 792 | 888 | 89% | |
| 1994 | 825 | 908 | 91% | |
| 1995 | 773 | 832 | 93% | 99% (773/784) |
| 1996 | 846 | 931 | 91% | 99% (846/863) |
| 1997 | 816 | 886 | 92% | 99% (816/825) |
| 1998 | 968 | 1026 | 94% | 99% (968/971) |
| 1999 | 901 | 954 | 94% | 99% (901/904) |
| 2000 | 930 | 986 | 94% | 99% (930/935) |
| 2001 | 1015 | 1060 | 96% | 99% (1015/1020) |
| 2002 | 895 | 932 | 96% | 99% (895/899) |
| 2003 | 781 | 810 | 96% | 99% 781/784) |
CONCLUSION: An airway service provided by a Respiratory Care
Department can assure competent non-physician providers, centralized monitoring
for
performance tracking and improvement, a 99% completion rate and an
overall effective service.