Airway management and ventilation are some of the most important, yet challenging situations faced by EMS. Manual ventilation seems to be an easy task, but numerous studies show that it is difficult, despite regular training. In extreme situations, ventilation must maintain respiratory function and ensure oxygen supply if the patient is unable to breathe on their own. Resuscitation is one extreme situation where the quality of ventilation matters and consistent ventilation can be life-saving.
Our focus will be on the effectiveness of mechanical ventilation versus manual Bag Valve Mask (BVM) ventilation