Beyond the basics: airway management

Airway management is as easy as your ABCs: Assess the airway for adequacy, blockages and sixth-sense concerns; use basic skills to position, utilize adjuncts and suction the airway; and control the airway with endotracheal intubation, alternative airways, or, when all else fails, invasive and surgical airways. It is the responsibility of every provider, regardless of certification level, to manage a patient's airway in the most effective way possible. When it's done in an organized manner, quickly, properly and effectively, considering all options of care, both patient and provider will be able to take a deep breath of relief.