Ep 291 - January 2026 Round-Up: RSI Trial, Trauma Leadership, and the Reality of Corridor Care

Emergency medicine practice requires continuous refinement of clinical decision-making and team leadership strategies. The RSI trial comparing ketamine and etomidate for intubation in non-trauma patients demonstrates no significant difference in 28-day mortality, despite secondary findings suggesting higher cardiovascular instability with ketamine. Effective trauma team leadership relies on early activation of "Code Red" protocols for hemorrhaging patients and the implementation of structured, hands-free handovers to ensure critical information transfer from pre-hospital teams. Furthermore, managing spinal cord injuries necessitates maintaining mean arterial pressure targets between 85-90 mmHg, though evidence for this in the hyper-acute phase remains limited. Addressing systemic challenges like corridor care requires corporate-level intervention to prioritize patient safety and clinician well-being. Ultimately, fostering a culture of simulation and mutual support among multi-disciplinary teams remains essential for managing high-acuity, low-frequency clinical events effectively.