Emergency medical services
-
The lungs are surrounded by the pleural membranes. The visceral pleura directly covers the lung and is separated from the parietal pleura by a layer of surfactant, which reduces friction during respiratory movement. A potential space exists between these two layers, and they may become separated by fluid or air. ⋯ With endotracheal intubation and pleural decompression, the positive-pressure ventilations allowed the affected right lung to inflate more fully, utilize more of the available alveolar space and "bag out" some of the blood pooling at the base. The patient's vital signs and saturation improved. He needed surgical treatment and removal of the blood in the pleural space before ventilation and oxygenation could normalize.
-
The incident commander must ensure that EMS is able to effectively communicate and function as the incident warrants. EMS should provide appropriate services to the general public and emergency responders. With routine cross-training and drills, EMS functions can become common practice when the incident is anything but routine.