ABSTRACT

To determine the effect of stylet bend angle on the time to tracheal intubation and the success rate by emergency response nurses in a simulated situation.

A prospective randomized study was conducted. Each participant performed six intubation attempts, three with 30° and three with 60° stylet angles. Each stylet angle was tested totally 105 times. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze data.

The overall success rate of simulated tracheal intubations was 94%. The mean time to successful intubation (in seconds) was 10.99±18.80 and 13.04±18.82 for 30° and 60° stylet bend angles, respectively. The 30° stylet bend angle significantly reduced the time to intubation (p<0.01).

Using the 30° stylet bend angle resulted in faster tracheal intubation by the emergency response nurses in the simulated situation.

Keywords: Emergency response team, direct laryngoscopy, stylet, endotracheal intubation