How to apply CPAP
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.
CPAP can avoid intubation in heart failure and COPD, if the patient can protect their airway.
Step by step
Indications
Moderate to severe breathing distress from fluid in the lungs or COPD, awake and able to follow instructions. [1]
Contraindications
Cannot protect the airway, vomiting, low blood pressure, suspected pneumothorax, facial trauma. [1]
Explain and coach
Hold the mask first to help the patient tolerate it. [1]
Fit
Right size, seal without too much pressure. [1]
Pressure
Start low (often about 5 cm H2O) and adjust per protocol. [1]
Monitor
Breathing, saturation, blood pressure, mental status, capnography. [1]
Common errors
- Using it on a drowsy patient.
- Strapping the mask on a panicked patient.
- Not watching blood pressure.
Practice it in Making Synapses
In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
Making Synapses cases that train this skill
- COPD with pneumonia
- COPD exacerbation
- Heart failure, worsening
- Acute pulmonary edema
- Restrictive cardiomyopathy
- Atrial flutter
15 Making Synapses cases train this skill: open the case library
Sources
- NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
- OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (reference)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Facts and steps also follow OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (reference). Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.