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This activity reviews the clinical importance of airway monitoring in evaluating ventilatory status and detecting early airway compromise in patients with respiratory distress or those requiring intervention. The participant learns to perform a structured physical examination focused on airway anatomy, recognize features of a difficult airway, and apply appropriate next steps in airway management. Emphasis is placed on selecting and interpreting objective monitoring modalities, including waveform capnography and pulse oximetry, to confirm endotracheal tube placement and assess ventilation and oxygenation. Common limitations and sources of error in monitoring techniques are also addressed to improve clinical judgment. The activity strengthens clinician competence in the timely recognition and management of airway compromise, reducing morbidity and mortality. Collaboration among an interprofessional healthcare team enhances communication, supports accurate interpretation of findings, and promotes coordinated, patient-centered care, leading to improved safety and outcomes. Objectives: Identify airway compromise using objective data such as monitors and lab results, and assess airway status using physical exam findings. Determine when airway intervention is needed and how to proceed, and implement proper use of airway devices and procedures. Apply evidence-based airway management principles to recognize, stabilize, and respond to ventilatory compromise in acutely ill patients across clinical settings. Collaborate and communicate with the interprofessional healthcare team to assess the need for airway intervention and transition the patient to a higher level of care. Access free multiple choice questions on this topic.

Airway monitoring, as part of a comprehensive physical examination, assesses a patient's ventilation and gas-exchange capacity. This assessment includes examining a patient's airway status, interpreting data from adjunct monitors, and determining the next steps to follow to improve patient outcomes. This review explores various airway monitoring techniques, their functions, and limitations.

Effective airway monitoring requires a structured, anticipatory approach grounded in early recognition, technical proficiency, and coordinated team dynamics. Patient-centered care is best achieved through an interprofessional model in which nursing staff and emergency medical services, often the first to assess the airway, initiate basic airway management in alignment with American College of Surgeons Advanced Trauma Life Support and American Heart Association guidelines, prioritizing airway stabilization to reduce morbidity and mortality.[26] Physicians, advanced practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and respiratory therapists must demonstrate expert-level skill in advanced airway techniques, recognizing that improper placement can lead to hypoxia, gastric insufflation, acidosis, organ ischemia, and death. Continuous monitoring, including clinical assessment and adjuncts such as pulse oximetry and capnography, combined with vigilance from all team members, enables early detection of deterioration and timely escalation. Optimal outcomes depend on disciplined interprofessional communication, ethical practice, and seamless care coordination. Closed-loop communication ensures that concerns about airway status are conveyed and addressed promptly, while standardized protocols and shared mental models reduce variability and errors. Pharmacists guide medication selection for rapid-sequence intubation and minimize adverse drug interactions; radiologists confirm endotracheal tube placement and evaluate pulmonary pathology; and respiratory therapists provide critical expertise in ventilatory support and early identification of respiratory decline. Ethical considerations, including informed consent when feasible, reinforce patient autonomy and transparency. All team members share responsibility for maintaining situational awareness, respecting open communication, and coordinating care without introducing inefficiencies or risk, thereby enhancing patient safety, team performance, and overall clinical outcomes.