Final answer:
In caring for a non-breathing patient with a stoma or tracheotomy, an EMS provider should ventilate through the neck opening, using a proper ventilation device without extra force, rather than using airway adjuncts designed for intact upper airways.
Step-by-step explanation:
When caring for a non-breathing patient with a stoma or tracheotomy tube, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider should ventilate through the neck opening. This means that during emergency respiratory management, traditional methods like using a nasopharyngeal airway or oropharyngeal routes are no longer relevant or feasible. Instead, the air should be directly delivered through the stoma or tracheotomy tube into the trachea, bypassing the upper airway obstructions.
It is important not to use extra force with each ventilation as this could cause injury. Likewise, covering the neck opening won’t help the patient breathe. A proper ventilation device that fits the dimensions of the stoma or tube should be used, and the bag-mask ventilation should be performed gently to provide oxygen to the patient’s lungs.