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Rapid sequence intubation: a survey of current practice in the South African pre-hospital setting

Background: Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is an advanced airway skill commonly performed in the pre-hospital setting globally. In South Africa, pre-hospital RSI was first approved for non-physician providers by the Health Professions Council of South Africa in 2009 and introduced as part of the sc...

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Main Author: Botha, Johanna Catharina
Other Authors: Stassen, Willem
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Division of Emergency Medicine 2021
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access_status_str Open Access
author Botha, Johanna Catharina
author2 Stassen, Willem
author_browse Botha, Johanna Catharina
Stassen, Willem
author_facet Stassen, Willem
Botha, Johanna Catharina
author_sort Botha, Johanna Catharina
collection Thesis
description Background: Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is an advanced airway skill commonly performed in the pre-hospital setting globally. In South Africa, pre-hospital RSI was first approved for non-physician providers by the Health Professions Council of South Africa in 2009 and introduced as part of the scope of practice of degree qualified Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs) only. The aim of the research study was to investigate and describe, based on the components of the minimum standards of pre-hospital RSI in South Africa, specific areas of interest related to current pre-hospital RSI practice. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design in the form of an online survey were conducted amongst operational ECPs in the pre-hospital setting of South Africa, using convenience and snowball sampling strategies. Results: A total of 87 participants agreed to participate. Eleven (12.6%) incomplete survey responses were excluded while 76 (87.4%) were included in the data analysis. The survey response rate could not be calculated. Most participants were operational in Gauteng (n=27, 35.5%) and the Western Cape (n=25, 32.9%). Overall participants reported that their education and training were perceived as being of good quality. An overwhelming number of participants (n=69, 90.8%) did not participate in an internship programme before commencing duties as an independent practitioner. Most RSI and post-intubation equipment were reported to be available, however, our results found that introducer stylets and/or bougies and EtCO2 devices are not available to some participants. Only 50 (65.8%) participants reported the existence of a clinical governance system within their organisation. Furthermore, our results indicate a lack of clinical feedback, deficiency of an RSI database, infrequent clinical review meetings and a shortage of formal consultation frameworks. Conclusion: The practice of safe and effective pre-hospital RSI, performed by non-physician providers or ECPs, rely on comprehensive implementation and adherence to all the 51 components of the minimum standards. Although there is largely an apparent alignment with the minimum standards, recurrent revision of practice needs to occur to ensure alignment with recommendations. Additionally, there are areas that may benefit from further research to improve current practice.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:52:25.476Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher Division of Emergency Medicine
publisherStr Division of Emergency Medicine
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/32615 Rapid sequence intubation: a survey of current practice in the South African pre-hospital setting Botha, Johanna Catharina Stassen, Willem Lourens, Andrit Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) Pre-hospital Minimum standards Education and training System requirements Comprehensive clinical governance South Africa Background: Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is an advanced airway skill commonly performed in the pre-hospital setting globally. In South Africa, pre-hospital RSI was first approved for non-physician providers by the Health Professions Council of South Africa in 2009 and introduced as part of the scope of practice of degree qualified Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs) only. The aim of the research study was to investigate and describe, based on the components of the minimum standards of pre-hospital RSI in South Africa, specific areas of interest related to current pre-hospital RSI practice. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design in the form of an online survey were conducted amongst operational ECPs in the pre-hospital setting of South Africa, using convenience and snowball sampling strategies. Results: A total of 87 participants agreed to participate. Eleven (12.6%) incomplete survey responses were excluded while 76 (87.4%) were included in the data analysis. The survey response rate could not be calculated. Most participants were operational in Gauteng (n=27, 35.5%) and the Western Cape (n=25, 32.9%). Overall participants reported that their education and training were perceived as being of good quality. An overwhelming number of participants (n=69, 90.8%) did not participate in an internship programme before commencing duties as an independent practitioner. Most RSI and post-intubation equipment were reported to be available, however, our results found that introducer stylets and/or bougies and EtCO2 devices are not available to some participants. Only 50 (65.8%) participants reported the existence of a clinical governance system within their organisation. Furthermore, our results indicate a lack of clinical feedback, deficiency of an RSI database, infrequent clinical review meetings and a shortage of formal consultation frameworks. Conclusion: The practice of safe and effective pre-hospital RSI, performed by non-physician providers or ECPs, rely on comprehensive implementation and adherence to all the 51 components of the minimum standards. Although there is largely an apparent alignment with the minimum standards, recurrent revision of practice needs to occur to ensure alignment with recommendations. Additionally, there are areas that may benefit from further research to improve current practice. 2021-01-21T07:35:41Z 2021-01-21T07:35:41Z 2020 2021-01-04T12:09:08Z Master Thesis Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32615 eng application/pdf Division of Emergency Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences
spellingShingle Rapid sequence intubation (RSI)
Pre-hospital
Minimum standards
Education and training
System requirements
Comprehensive clinical governance
South Africa
Botha, Johanna Catharina
Rapid sequence intubation: a survey of current practice in the South African pre-hospital setting
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Rapid sequence intubation: a survey of current practice in the South African pre-hospital setting
title_full Rapid sequence intubation: a survey of current practice in the South African pre-hospital setting
title_fullStr Rapid sequence intubation: a survey of current practice in the South African pre-hospital setting
title_full_unstemmed Rapid sequence intubation: a survey of current practice in the South African pre-hospital setting
title_short Rapid sequence intubation: a survey of current practice in the South African pre-hospital setting
title_sort rapid sequence intubation a survey of current practice in the south african pre hospital setting
topic Rapid sequence intubation (RSI)
Pre-hospital
Minimum standards
Education and training
System requirements
Comprehensive clinical governance
South Africa
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32615
work_keys_str_mv AT bothajohannacatharina rapidsequenceintubationasurveyofcurrentpracticeinthesouthafricanprehospitalsetting