In most health care settings, whether in a hospital or the back of an ambulance, there will be an ambu bag present. When a person has stopped breathing and is suffering respiratory distress, an ambu bag will be used to give breaths, particularly to an unconscious person. This is referred to as "bagging." Ambu bags will often be used in conjunction with CPR, and while it is mainly trained health care providers who use this equipment, it is important for everyone to know use this potentially life-saving device.
Instructions
1. Place the ambu bag on the individual, with the point of the mask on the bridge of the nose and the larger portion of the mask resting above the chin.
2. Position one of your hands in such a manner that air is unable to escape around the edges of the mask. If air is able to escape, the ambu bag will be ineffective in providing oxygen to the person.
3. Place the bag part of the ambu right on your knee, as if it were resting there. This will make it easier to deliver the breaths when needed to the person.
4. Squeeze the ambu bag. Watch for the chest to rise and fall when giving the breaths. Failure to give adequate breaths to the person can do more harm than good.
5. Allow the ambu bag to fully inflate back to its original position before delivering another breath to the person.
6. Check the seal frequently to make sure that it is maintained around the person's nose and mouth.
Tags: ambu will, health care