Emergency

Rapid Sequence Intubation Guide

RSI — Drugs, Doses & Checklist

1 What is the Rapid Sequence Intubation Guide?

The Rapid Sequence Intubation guide walks through the '7 P's' of RSI alongside a drug reference table and five scenario-specific intubation medication sequences, matching the app's own subtitle. It frames intubation conceptually as 'analgesia + sedation + neuromuscular blocker +/- premedication,' and tailors agent selection to five clinical contexts: a standard sequence, an asthma/reactive-airway sequence, a haemodynamic-instability sequence, a head-injury sequence, and considerations for renal or hepatic organ failure.

2 When to use it

  • Planning emergency airway management in a critically ill child
  • Selecting induction and paralytic agents appropriate to a specific clinical scenario (e.g., reactive airway disease, shock, raised intracranial pressure, organ failure)
  • Following a structured, time-anchored sequence from preparation through post-intubation care
  • Confirming correct endotracheal tube placement after intubation
  • Reviewing indications and cautions for individual RSI drugs (sedatives, analgesics, and neuromuscular blockers)

3 Formula & method

The guide's own framework is the '7 P's,' a time-anchored flow: Preparation, Preoxygenation, Pretreatment, Paralysis/Induction, Positioning, Placement with proof, and Post-intubation management. It states intubation conceptually as the combination of analgesia, sedation, a neuromuscular blocker, and optional premedication. Five scenario-specific sequences (standard, asthma, haemodynamic instability, head injury, and organ failure) each list an ordered set of drug categories tailored to that context, and the guide's placement-confirmation pearl names continuous waveform capnography as the gold standard, supported by bilateral chest rise, equal air entry, absence of epigastric sounds, tube condensation, and rising SpO2, with chest X-ray afterward to confirm tip position. Specific drug doses from the app's tables are not reproduced on this page.
  • APLS 6th edition
  • PALS RSI consensus

4 Frequently asked questions

What are the 7 P's of RSI in this guide?

Preparation, Preoxygenation, Pretreatment, Paralysis/Induction, Positioning, Placement with proof, and Post-intubation management — each anchored to a time point relative to the intubation attempt.

How does drug selection change across scenarios?

The app provides five separate sequences — standard, asthma, haemodynamic instability, head injury, and organ failure — each substituting or reordering induction, paralytic, and adjunct agents to suit that clinical context.

How is correct tube placement confirmed?

The guide names continuous waveform capnography (ETCO2 trace) as the gold standard, alongside bilateral chest rise, equal air entry, absence of epigastric sounds, tube condensation, rising SpO2, and a follow-up chest X-ray for tip position.

Does the app show exact intubation drug doses on this page?

Individual drug doses live inside the app's reference tables; this page describes the framework and scope rather than restating specific milligram-per-kilogram figures, since dosing should always be verified against the current in-app source and local protocol.

For qualified clinicians. This page and the PediAid app are a clinical aid only. Calculations and reference data must be verified against the patient's clinical context, the source guideline and your local protocols before any treatment decision is made.