| Airway and respiratory considerations: | Airway and respiratory equipment: |
- Administer oxygen to avoid hypoxemia during transport
- Options for ventilation include:
- Spontaneous ventilation
- Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation
- Manual ventilation in an intubated patient (eg, with a self-inflating Ambu bag)
- Use of a transport ventilator for mechanical ventilation
- Airway loss may occur during transport, necessitating rapid transition from spontaneous to assisted ventilation
- Capnography monitoring may be beneficial for selected patients with severe respiratory disease
- Selected patients are receiving inhaled medications for cardiopulmonary support
| - Full O2 cylinder of a size appropriate for duration of transport
- Ability to continuously monitor SpO2 via pulse oximetry
- Bag valve mask with intact appropriately sized face mask and PEEP valve
- Oral and/or nasal airways
- Laryngoscopes, endotracheal tubes, equipment needed to secure/resecure the airway during transport
- Transport ventilator (if indicated)
- Ability to monitor EtCO2 (if indicated)
- For patients receiving inhaled nitric oxide or epoprostenol, availability of an adequate supply of the agent and of personnel familiar with its administration
|
| Cardiovascular considerations: | Cardiovascular equipment: |
- ECG and BP monitoring are routine
- Some patients have a CVP, PA, or ICP catheter in place
- Shock or cardiovascular collapse can occur due to poor perfusion or arrhythmias
- Unstable rhythms may require cardioversion, defibrillation or pacing
- Critically ill patients are often supported with infusion medications to support blood pressure and/or cardiac output
- Pain and sedation should be appropriately management during transport
| - Functioning transport monitor with adequate battery life
- Ability to monitor ECG (with leads and cable)
- Ability to monitor BP, whether noninvasive with a BP cuff or invasive via an intra-arterial catheter (with transducer and cable)
- Transducers and cable to monitor CVP, PA, or ICP (if these catheters are in place)
- Availability of a cardioverter-defibrillator (if indicated)
- Availability of vasoactive agents for bolus and infusion use including those used for ACLS
- Adequate supply of any currently administered IV vasoactive and sedative-analgesic infusions, including adequate battery power for infusion devices
|
| Other considerations: | Other equipment: |
- Ensure adequacy of IV access and patency of IV catheters before transport
- Fluid and blood may be required for resuscitation during transport
- Inadvertent dislodgement of lines and tubes can be disastrous – ensure that lines and tubes are adequately labeled and secured and have sufficient slack in their tubing to reduce the risk of dislodgment
| - Adequate supply of IV fluids (and blood products, if indicated)
|
