I intubated my colleague today, a young, healthy ER doc like me. This is what I learned...
1. As scared as I was, I knew that I owed it to my colleague to be calm, focused, and collected. We’ve trained for this and with a little courage and vulnerability, we can meet any challenge.
2. This virus does not discriminate with regards to age or health status. But it does have an affinity for us. Health care workers represent more than 20% of all #COVID19 cases.
3. Use highflow, proning, and a NRB, to buy yourself some extra time. This gave our team the opportunity to set up for a safe and organized intubation.
4. PPE like you life depends upon it because it does. Limit the number of providers in the room. The most senior physician should intubate, and use video laryngoscopy.
When it’s over, it’s ok to be human. It’s ok to show emotion for in doing so, we show that we care, we grieve, we love. In the end, our love and service to one another, may very well be the thing that gets us through this.
