The World’s Okayest Medic Podcast The Coffee Talk is EARLY THIS WEEK (2/19/26)
Feb 19, 2026
A rapid tour of adaptive support ventilation and practical ventilator training for transport crews. A candid take on using ASV as an EMS autopilot and when to rely on it. A deep dive into the origins, animal data, human studies, and controversies around elevating the head during CPR. A frank discussion of study bias, p-hacking concerns, and whether services should trial head-up CPR.
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Train Ventilator Basics Aligned To Protocols
- When rolling out ventilators, teach foundational mechanics, buttonology, hookup, and troubleshooting tied to your protocols.
- Train only on modes your service will use and focus on practical, protocol-driven scenarios.
Use ASV For New Vent Initiations
- Consider using Adaptive Support Ventilation (ASV) for patients you initiate on vents to reduce cognitive load.
- Set gender, ideal body weight, and target minute volume, and let ASV manage closed-loop adjustments safely for novices.
Occasional Vent Managers, Not Experts
- Mike notes a Dunning-Kruger pattern among some flight medics who overestimate ventilator expertise.
- He argues most EMS clinicians are occasional vent managers, not ICU ventilator experts.