How to use a self-inflating bag and face mask
Intended for healthcare professionals
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How to use a self-inflating bag and face mask

Andrew Parry Senior lecturer in critical care, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, Wales
Ray Higginson Senior lecturer in critical care physiology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, Wales

Rationale and key points

This article aims to help nurses to open and maintain an adult’s airway while providing breaths using a self-inflating bag and face mask. Maintaining a patient’s airway is vital in the management of acute, life-threatening illnesses and injuries.

The nurse should address airway compromise immediately since it is a major factor in acute deterioration and may develop rapidly.

The nurse should perform the head tilt and chin lift manoeuvre, or the jaw thrust manoeuvre for patients with suspected cervical spine injury, to maintain airway opening.

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Nursing Standard. 30, 19, 36-38. doi: 10.7748/ns.30.19.36.s41

Correspondence

andy.parry@southwales.ac.uk

Peer review

All articles are subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software.

Received: 19 September 2014

Accepted: 05 November 2014

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