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Andrew Pirotte's updated one-page airway checklistDownload or print the July 2026 four-step checklist.
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Updated four-step Airway Checklist showing Preparation, Timeout, Failed Attempt or Difficult Airway, and Post-Airway

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Step 1: Preparation Prepare oxygenation, equipment, physiology, RSI medications, and the team before induction. Step 2: Timeout Silence the room, state the airway plans, and confirm code status, device, operator, positioning, and medications. Step 3: Failed Attempt / Difficult Airway After every failed attempt, change a meaningful variable and escalate early. Step 4: Post-intubation Confirm the tube, secure it, set the ventilator, start analgesia/sedation, and complete follow-up.
About this resource
Created by: Andrew Pirotte, MD; Kyle Brown, MD; Reba Hodge, MD; Amanda Vanderwerf, PharmD, BCEMP; Morgan Kimball, PharmD, BCEMP; Joshua Mohess Clinical review: Clinical review pending: local ED, ICU, EMS, anesthesia, pharmacy, and pediatric protocol review recommended before bedside teaching rollout. Last reviewed: 2026-07-23 Next scheduled review: 2027-01-23 Designed for: EM residents, emergency physicians, EMS clinicians, airway educators, and simulation faculty Important: Educational resource and cognitive-aid guide only; not a bedside order set or substitute for local protocol, medical direction, or clinical judgment. Website contact: kybrown@kumc.edu