When two paramedics are ventilating with a BVM, the non-squeezing provider should:

• A. Maintain adequate face-to-mask seal
• B. Adjust the airway position
• C. Increase tidal volume
• D. Monitor heart rate

Answer: (A)

In two-person bag-valve-mask ventilation, the non-squeezing rescuer’s main job is to maintain an airtight face-to-mask seal. A firm seal is what makes the breaths actually reach the lungs—without it, air leaks out around the mask and chest rise may be poor, making ventilation ineffective. The non-squeezing provider can adjust the head position and mask grip as needed to keep that seal tight and the airway open. Increasing tidal volume isn’t the remedy while the seal is leaking, and focusing on heart rate, while important, isn’t the immediate task during the breath delivery.