Written by Ted Reesor from BLS Systems

When first responders are called to administer patient care to those with acute respiratory issues, it is difficult for them to immediately determine the route cause of the illness. Asthma? Congestive heart failure? Pneumonia? Influenza? Is it just an isolated cause or a combination of several conditions, piled on top of one another until the patient becomes overwhelmed? What’s communicable and what isn’t? Most importantly, what can be transferred to surroundings, colleagues and other patients unintentionally?

During influenza season, health care providers are expected to be highly vigilant against transferable and communicable illnesses. A heightened awareness to potential threats and strategies to ward off cross infection is not only expected but mandated. Masks, gowns and gloves are all tools designed to minimize the exposure to these illnesses. Filters are an additional tool that can be applied to oxygen delivery devices as a means to reduce exposure to aerosolized contagions.

Once a contagious respiratory illness is suspected, “Respiratory Etiquette” protocols recommend filters to be placed on BVM’s and mechanical ventilators, however most pre-hospital services do not carry filters even if one was warranted. After experiencing the 2003 SARS outbreak in Toronto, Canada, the owners of BLS Systems made it their mission to provide the tools for the highest level of care for patients and the health care providers alike. That is why every disposable CPAP system designed and created by BLS Systems comes with both inhalation and exhalation filters already attached.

The next time you look at someone receiving oxygen therapy, aerosolized medications via an oxygen mask or CPAP therapy, consider the potential of spreading contagious particles to the surrounding area and ask whether a filter would be a good idea.

To learn more about the Rescuer II Disposable CPAP, call 888-891-1200 or email us to be connected to your local sales representative.

MED Alliance Group is a medical device distributor with more than 350 years of combined medical device sales and distribution experience. Dedicated to meeting the needs of its clinical customers and manufacturing partners, MED Alliance offers cost-effective, customized sales, logistics, and distribution solutions for products found in anesthesia/respiratory, blood/transfusion therapy, EMS/emergency room, interventional radiology/cath lab, iv/vascular and NICU/PICU.

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