How Well Do Emergency Physicians Document Confirmation of Endotracheal Tube Placement?

Abstract

The authors' goal was to determine the rate at which emergency physicians document confirmation of endotracheal tube (ET) placement. The study was conducted in a 60 000-visit emergency department (ED) of an urban tertiary referral hospital. The authors' airway registry database was used to identify patients requiring airway management; 433 patients met study criteria, 281 (65%) were intubated in the ED, and 152 (35%) were intubated prior to arrival. ET confirmation was documented for 270 (96%) patients intubated in the ED and 52 (34%) patients intubated before arrival (P < .0001).The rate was higher for patients intubated by emergency medical services (40/64 [63%]) than for interhospital transfers (12/88 [14%]) (P < .0001). Documentation of ET placement has implications for patient care and safety. This study indicates that educational interventions are warranted to improve physicians' awareness of the importance of documenting correct tube placement.