Immediate priorities after tube placement
- Confirm tracheal placement using waveform capnography and full clinical context.
- Stabilize oxygenation and ventilation targets.
- Secure the tube and document depth/position.
- Begin ongoing sedation/analgesia strategy per local protocol.
- Reassess hemodynamics and treat post-intubation instability promptly.
Early complications to watch for
- Esophageal intubation or tube displacement.
- Mainstem bronchial intubation.
- Post-intubation hypotension.
- Tension physiology or worsening dynamic hyperinflation in susceptible patients.
- Aspiration-related deterioration.
Reassessment cadence
Post-intubation care is not a one-time check. Reassess oxygenation, ventilation, perfusion, and tube position repeatedly during early stabilization and after any transfer or major movement.
Team practice principle
Use a shared post-intubation checklist language in your setting. The highest-yield safety gains often come from consistent confirmation and communication practices, not from novel equipment.
For confirmation standards context, see airway references and guidelines.