Florida Basic Recruit Training Program High Liability (First Aid) Practice Exam

What is used as a barrier device when performing ventilations?

1. Face masks

2. Gloves

3. Resuscitation bags

4. CPR shields

The correct answer is: Face masks

Using a face mask as a barrier device during ventilations is an essential practice in first aid and advanced life support. Face masks help create a seal around the patient's mouth and nose, which is critical in ensuring that the air being delivered through ventilation reaches the lungs effectively. This method also minimizes the risk of contamination between the rescuer and the patient, significantly reducing the transmission of infectious diseases. In a first aid scenario, it is vital to provide positive pressure ventilations, and the face mask allows for this while ensuring the safety of both the rescuer and the victim. Since different types of ventilation may require different tools or strategies, the choice of a face mask is particularly focused on providing a direct airway intervention while also maintaining a barrier for protection. While gloves and CPR shields also play important roles in first aid, they do not serve primarily as barrier devices for ventilations in the same capacity that face masks do. Gloves protect the rescuer’s hands, and CPR shields are specialized devices designed for mouth-to-mouth ventilation but may not provide the same efficacy or ease of use as a standard face mask in this context. Resuscitation bags, while effective for delivering breaths, usually require a face mask to create a proper seal, demonstrating that the face mask