Assessment of Face-Mask Ventilation Using an Airway Simulation Model

Abstract

The department of Emergency Medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center currently provides airway management training and education to a great number of health care professionals. Physicians, nurses, and paramedics among others, depend on this training for the development of a critical skill in the administration of emergency medical care. At this time, it is particularly difficult to evaluate the skill level of students trained in the application of face-mask (FM) ventilations. As an answer to this problem, an airway-training mannequin was modified to produce variable airway resistance. Health care providers performed 3 FM techniques on the mannequin while exhausted tidal volume and proximal peak flow pressure values were measured. Trends in pressure and volume were directly related to the effectiveness of FM seal, and results revealed that two-handed ventilation was more effective than one-handed ventilation. Furthermore, this simulation model demonstrated a positive potential in the analysis of FM ventilation performance and technique, and may prove useful in a variety of educational settings.