Final answer:
The skill not typically used to manage the airway and breathing of a patient in cardiac arrest is c) Chest compressions, which instead aid in maintaining circulation during CPR.
Step-by-step explanation:
The skill typically NOT used to manage the airway and breathing of a patient in cardiac arrest is c) Chest compressions. While chest compressions are a crucial part of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), they are primarily used to maintain blood circulation, particularly to vital organs like the brain, by manually compressing the chest to simulate the heart's pumping action. In contrast, bag-mask ventilation, endotracheal intubation, and the insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway are all methods directly used to manage a patient's airway and assist with breathing.
The process of endotracheal intubation involves placing a tube into the trachea to maintain an open airway and provide a way for air to bypass a blocked or injured respiratory passage. Bag-mask ventilation is a technique where a bag is squeezed to deliver air through a mask into the patient's lungs, and a nasopharyngeal airway insert is used when the nasal passage needs to be kept open for air delivery. These procedures ensure that oxygen reaches the lungs and carbon dioxide can be removed from the body, which is essential for external respiration and pulmonary ventilation.