Comparison of the Airway Access Skills of Prehospital Staff in Moving and Stationary Ambulance Simulation: A Randomized Crossover Study

Objectives: We aimed to compare the procedural success and intervention durations regarding various airway access skills in moving and stationary ambulance simulations.

Material And Methods: An ambulance simulator was used to simulate the moving ambulance environment, and a standard manikin was used for airway simulation. The study included 38 paramedics and paramedic students. In stationary and moving environments, a classical endotracheal intubation with a stylet, an intubation with a gum elastic bougie (GEB), a laryngeal mask airway (LMA), and a laryngeal tube (LT) were applied randomly. The cuff inflation duration, the duration until the first ventilation, and the intubation success were assessed.

Results: There was no difference in terms of success and intubation durations of the four methods in moving and stationary environments. In both environments, the LT and LMA were inserted most rapidly (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the intubation duration and the success among the supraglottic methods. In moving and stationary environments, the intubation with a classic stylet was faster than the intubation with a GEB. The use of a GEB did not increase the intubation success.

Conclusions: In this simulation study, the moving environment did not affect the duration or success of the endotracheal intubation. Supraglottic methods were applied more quickly in both moving and stationary environments. A GEB was used successfully by practioners with no previous experience; however, the duration of the intubation was longer.