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The most important thing to do when preparing for RSI is to PREOXYGENATE the patient.

Step 1: Choose Your Equipment
  • Miller or Mac blade?
    • Miller blade is straight (like the ‘L’ in miller)
      • Frequently used in kids
    • Mac blade is curved (like the ‘c’ in mac)
      • (Generally, this is the best choice to use on your clerkship and most common in the ED)
  • Tube Size?
    • 7.5 cuffed tube for a small adult
    • 8.0 cuffed tube for a big adult
Step 2: Choose your Meds
  • You need both a sedative and a paralytic to perform RSI
  • Paralytic options are succinylcholine or rocuronium
    • Succinylcholine is best if you need something short acting
      • For example, when frequent neurologic checks are required
    • Rocuronium is best because it’s easy to remember (1mg/kg)
      • “Rocuronium Rocks”
  • Sedative options include ketamine, propofol, and midazolam.
    • My favorite is ETOMIDATE.
      • It is hemodynamically neutral.
      • Dosing is 0.3mg/kg
Step 3: Prepare Your Equipment
  • Suction
  • Bag Valve Mask
  • Backup airway (ex. LMA)
  • Cardiac monitor
  • Capnography for tube placement
Step 4: DO IT
  • Push the sedative
  • Push the paralytic
  • Put the blade in your LEFT hand
  • Open mouth with right hand
  • Slowly advance (holding top of blade against tongue) until you see cords
    • The cords will be hiding under the white, cartilaginous, tongue-like epiglottis

NOTE: It’s OK if you don’t get it. It happens and it won’t make you look bad if your form was otherwise great.

Step 5: Advance the Tube and then CLOSING STATEMENT
  • Generally, you want depth to equal 3x the size of the tube
  • Closing statement
    • “Please attach capnography to confirm tube placement”
    • “We will need to get an X-ray, foley, OG tube and start the patient on propofol (or versed)”

CONGRATULATIONS!! THEY ARE INTUBATED!!