Could you use that cellophane from that pack of smokes for?

[ERDoc]

Personally, I think I would rather be pronounced than get M2M from a smoker, but that is just me.

As for the cellophane, it doesn't block anything so you might as well not use it, for reasons stated by all of the above.

[alexG]

I'm curious where you got the idea that celophane with a slit cut into it would serve as a barrier. Can you please elaborate where you heard this?

Honest question.

ParamedicMike,

This idea was brought into play, before all of the paranoia of H1N1, Strep, TB, and any other respiratory ailment that someone can think of, when I was in the Navy going through Hospital Corpsman school in the early 90's.....and yes, the instructors did elaborate on how it could be used on a sucking chest wound also....

[ERDoc]

There is a difference between a sucking chest wound and M2M, unless you are doing the sucking in the chest wound. It sounds like your instuctors suffered from a lack of education. There is no paranoia, only provider safety from communicable disease. If you compare one of the commercially available barriers to the cellophane you will notice that the barriers have a filter, which filters out most pathogens. The problem is that most of them will not filter Tb. As others have said, just go with compressions only.

[romneyfor2012]

Holy McGuyver Batman !!! Why not just use a $5.00 pocket mask, they make them small enough to fit on your keychain ? And in the CNA setting, you should have a crash cart nearby, so why risk infection with flimsey alternatives ? Do you really want MRSA an CDiff ?

[DFIB]

Holy McGuyver Batman !!! Why not just use a $5.00 pocket mask, they make them small enough to fit on your keychain ? And in the CNA setting, you should have a crash cart nearby, so why risk infection with flimsey alternatives ? Do you really want MRSA an CDiff ?

Forget if they are a smoker. I always draw homeless patients with half their teeth rotting off, or pukers, or bleeders. Strangers get bagged when possible. I at least keep a pocket mask availabe.

On topic, what is the general opinion of soaking the used pocket mask in clorox and just replacing the filter?

[Bernhard]

There is a difference between a sucking chest wound and M2M, unless you are doing the sucking in the chest wound.

Quote of the month!

[romneyfor2012]

I would not risk reuse, I would replace. The human mouth is one of the most bacteria filled areas you can stick your tongue in (JK)

[DFIB]

I would not risk reuse, I would replace. The human mouth is one of the most bacteria filled areas you can stick your tongue in (JK)

But wouldn't clorox kill everything?

[romneyfor2012]

I guess it depends on what kind of device you are using ? All plastic, yes clorox will kill 99.9%, but if it has mesh or fabric in the middle (like CPR training barriers), I would not be so sure.

But here is the question I always asked my medics. Whenever they got through with an arrest, I would ask how well the cleaned their laryngoscope blades (before disposables), they would also answer that they did a good job, then I would ask them to stick the blade in their mouth. No one ever took me up on doing that, even though they had really soaked/cleaned as they should. I feel the same way about these barrier devices.

[ERDoc]

I would think that chlorox would break down the integrity of the plastic in the face masks. I would say, never do mouth to mouth.