Bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation is a foundational emergency care skill, and one of the most frequently performed incorrectly. Mastering it requires precise manual technique, proper airway positioning, and disciplined control of ventilation rate and volume.
ACLS Approach to Unstable Bradycardia: Atropine, Pacing, and Clinical Pitfalls
Treatment for unstable bradycardia can be daunting for clinicians as it is a time-sensitive, high-stakes condition with risks for hemodynamic compromise.
Transcutaneous Pacing (TCP) With and Without Capture
Transcutaneous pacing (TCP) is an emergency treatment used to manage unstable symptomatic bradycardia, but seeing pacing spikes on the ECG doesn't necessarily mean the heart is pumping effectively.
Is Naloxone Safe? Evidence-Based Use in Opioid Overdose
If you've spent much time in an emergency department or on a rig, you've seen how fast a patient given naloxone can go from zero breaths to fully awake, and sometimes straight into acute withdrawal.
CPR First? Or Defibrillation First?
When it comes to cardiac arrest, there's often confusion about whether CPR or defibrillation should come first. Current evidence shows that early defibrillation, combined with high-quality CPR, offers the best outcomes in most cases of ventricular fibrillation (VF). A brief period of CPR before defibrillation isn't necessary if a defibrillator is available.