What is the primary purpose of using a bag-valve mask?

The primary purpose of using a bag-valve mask is to ventilate patients who are unable to breathe adequately. This device allows emergency responders to provide positive pressure ventilation to patients who have insufficient respiratory function, ensuring that oxygen is delivered to the lungs. When a patient is not breathing effectively or at all, the bag-valve mask enables the rescuer to deliver air or supplemental oxygen directly into the lungs, helping to restore adequate ventilation and oxygenation.

While delivering supplemental oxygen to patients is important, the bag-valve mask's main function is to manage ventilation rather than merely provide oxygen. Suctioning secretions from the airway and providing thermal support in cold environments are tasks that fall outside the primary use of the bag-valve mask. The device is specifically designed to assist in the mechanical process of breathing, making it a critical tool in emergency respiratory care.