Airway

Who gets a non-rebreather mask

A non-rebreather mask delivers high-concentration oxygen only when the patient can still move adequate tidal volume on their own. Inadequate rate or shallow breathing needs bag-valve-mask support, not a mask that waits for the patient to inhale.

Active vomiting is a poor fit for a tight NRB face seal—vomit can pool and raise aspiration risk; use blow-by or a cannula while protecting the airway. The classic NRB candidate is unconscious or hypoxic but still breathing with adequate volume at a workable rate.