Endotracheal Intubation

Once the ward had communicated with the family, the PICU organisation and the retrieval team had been booked, Patient A was taken to theatre to have a general anaesthetic. By using general anaesthetic as the form of sedation it helps to reduce any anxiety or distress, and reduces pain helping to make the patient comfortable (Dries, David J. 2014). The general anaesthetic makes the patient unconscious, this therefore means they have limited or complete loss of protective reflexes. This is why endotracheal intubation is routine for any child that has undergone general anaesthetic because they are unable to independently maintain their own airway (Finucane, Brendan T. 2011). Due to the insertion and the presence of the endotracheal tubes and other