Question

If manually ventilating a patient, you should squeeze the bag every ____ seconds for an adult and every ____seconds for a child.

A. 5 to 6, 3 to 5
B. 8 to 10, 6 to 8
C. 2 to 3, 6 to 8
D. 5 to 6, 5 to 6

Answer 1

For manual ventilation, the ventilation bag should be squeezed every 5 to 6 seconds for an adult and every 3 to 5 seconds for a child, matching their normal respiratory rates.

Step-by-step explanation:

If manually ventilating a patient, the correct frequency of squeezing the ventilation bag is different for adults and for children due to their differing normal respiratory rates. For an adult, the normal respiratory rate under non-exertion conditions is 12-15 breaths per minute. Therefore, you should squeeze the bag every 5 to 6 seconds for an adult, which equates to about 10-12 breaths per minute. For a child, the normal respiratory rate varies with age, but by around age 10, it is closer to 18 to 30 breaths per minute. Hence, the bag should be squeezed every 3 to 5 seconds for a child. This represents about 12-20 breaths per minute, suitable for a young child's higher respiratory rate. The correct answer to the question is: If manually ventilating a patient, you should squeeze the bag every 5 to 6 seconds for an adult and every 3 to 5 seconds for a child.