Review of Key Features


All Ventilations, be they part of CPR or rescue breaths, share the same rate of inspiration and volume of air delivered. They differ in the number delivered and the interval between the ventilations.

Rate of inspiration:  the target is to deliver air at a constant rate into the lung for about 1 second

Volume of inspiration: the target is about 0.5l (half of a liter)

Rate of expiration:  release the bag immediately the 0.5l has been delivered so the air can expire quickly.

Time between each ventilation: the interval between ventilations depends on whether it is performed
                      a) as a part of 30:2 CPR, or
                      b) during rescue breathing

 Interval In CPR 30:2

Time between each ventilation, the interval between ventilations depends on whether it is performed in CPR or in Rescue Breathing.

During the 30:2 cycle of CPR there is NO TIME BETWEEN each ventilation. As soon the breath has fully expired, begin the next one. In CPR you provide 2 breaths within 4 seconds. (1 sec in, 1 sec out, 1 sec in, 1 sec out, then start or recommence compressions).

 Interval In Rescue Breathing

The rate for performing ventilations depends on whether it is done by a lay rescuer or by someone who has a duty to act. For the former the rate is specified as 8 to 10 per minute and for the latter it is 10 to 12 per minute.

Taking the middle number which is shared makes it easy to work it out. The time from the start of 1 inspiration to the start of the next inspiration is about 6 seconds. (1 sec in, 1 sec out, 4 second wait, then start the next ventilation).

At the Main Menu select "Ventilations" then the option which you want. On SmartMan there are two different ways to PRACTICE performing ventilations; for rescue breathing and for CPR.

CPR Ventilations PRACTICE
During CPR you only get 4 seconds to give the 2 ventilations. In the SmartMan ventilations for CPR practice, we provide you with a practice of 20 breaths. You perform 20 breaths one after the other so you can get a feel for slowing the rate of inspiration but moving quickly to the next ventilation. NOTE: In SmartMan this is a training exercise ONLY. In the 30:2 cycle of CPR you only ever perform 2 ventilations.

To specifically practice the correct interval between ventilations, you need to choose either the practice for Rescue Breathing or the practice for CPR Ventilations Practice.

If you are only concentrating on practicing the correct rate of inspiration and volume of inspiration, then you can use either section.

What you see on the Screen
On SmartMan you see the colored bars as you perform either type of ventilation. Again your target is the bright green. If you perform correct inspiration at the correct volume with the correct interval between each ventilation both the vertical bars and the horizontal bars will be bright green.

With ventilations, once you complete the set, the computer will display 2 rows of numbers above each bar on the graph. The top row (the number is right above the vertical bar) is the exact time of the inspiration (your target is 1 second) and the bottom row (the number is right above the horizontal bar)  is the exact time from the start of one ventilation to the start of the next ventilation (your target in rescue breathing is 6 seconds).

How To Squeeze the BVM (the bag)

The target performance for a ventilation with a BVM is to have a smooth consistent squeeze of the bag for about 1 second. Then immediately release your hand from the bag. It is slow on the squeeze then immediately fully release.

It is a common error to hold the bag once it has been squeezed to the target 0.5 – 0.6 liter delivery point.

During the instruction phase for performing ventilations in CPR (NOT IN RESUCE BREATHING), when students are told to go slow, this must be made clear that going slow means going slow for the inspiration. Inspiration should take a second. When performing the 2 ventilations in CPR, it is not slow between compressions. In CPR the second ventilation must start as soon as the air has fully emptied from the lungs.