RNs Intubating???

Terrie · Oct 23, 2001

We are taught how to do it in ACLS and PALS because we are a small hospital and if we were to have more than one code (which has happened) someone would have to intubate the pt. But if there is someone more qualified in the room I will be the first one to step back and let them have at it. We always have RT in the building and we have an ER doc so we would most likely never have to do it.

funnynurse · Jan 13, 2002

I thought I heard from my acls instructor that with the new guidelines, they won't be teaching nurses to intubate anymore???

mattcastens · Jan 13, 2002

Originally posted by Ayanna1172
I thought I heard from my acls instructor that with the new guidelines, they won't be teaching nurses to intubate anymore???

I don't think it's "ACLS guidelines", but rather a change in teaching practice. ACLS is ACLS is ACLS, but the fact is (as indicated above) that nurses usually don't intubate. In a code situation there is usually an MD present or if not then a CRNA or even an RT who has more experience intubating than a nurse.

It's not that the AHA doesn't think that nurses shouldn't intubate. Instead, I think the thought process is that since nurses generally don't, why not focus on what they in fact do -- push meds, defibrillate, make suggestions to the new residents, etc.

tlmagraw2 · Jan 30, 2002

the policy in my hospital is that acls trained nurses can only intubate if the respiratory therapist or physician is not on the unit and bagging the patient is ineffective. i would not be comfortable intubating on my own, and thank goodness r.t. and docs are only a code button away in these situations. an acls dummy is way different from a live person---to much could go wrong. teri

EMTPTORN · Jan 30, 2002

I have never heard or saw a policy anywhere about an RN getting to intubate, except on a medivac helicopter. certainly a nurse could perform the procedure well, with practice....

there must be an underlying root somewhere why nurse's don't perform this procedure...anyone know what that root is??

having been a paramedic 12+ years and now finally getting around to nursing school (when I finish and start working as an RN) I WILL MISS getting to intubate as it is very much a rush.

KKERRN · Mar 20, 2002

I work ER and we have only ACLS for entubation training. We are allowed and expected to entubate if MD isn't available. We usually have residents in the ER to do this also. I never have done this myself. I'v been there almost 2 years and only one RN has entubated a patient. There was already a code in progress and there wasn't a resident on at that time.

ACLS instructor · Jul 30, 2010

We are taught how to do it in ACLS and PALS because we are a small hospital and if we were to have more than one code (which has happened) someone would have to intubate the pt. But if there is someone more qualified in the room I will be the first one to step back and let them have at it. We always have RT in the building and we have an ER doc so we would most likely never have to do it.

The reason you are taught how to is because it would not be cost effective to have seperate classes for all the different allied healthcare prof.

J. Smith

LearningByMistakes · Jul 16, 2012

as an acls instructor since 1987 (along withbls/pals/abls/etc.) i can assure you that “playing" with "fred the head” in theairway station was never to be considered being taught intubation. one of themany reasons aha courses are now course completions & not certs.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Jul 16, 2012

Where I work, RNs do not intubate. The ER doc is usually the one who will intubate. RTs can do it but I always see the ER docs doing it, or the patient's primary physician if they respond in a timely manner. RNs are allowed to insert an OPA or NPA until a more advanced airway can be accessed, if needed.