How to place a supraglottic airway
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
A supraglottic airway sits above the vocal cords and is faster to place than a tube. Confirmation is the step that cannot be skipped.
Step by step
Ventilate first
Open the airway and ventilate with a bag-valve mask and oxygen while a partner prepares the device. [1]
Choose and check the device
Size by the maker's weight or height chart. Check the cuff if it has one and lubricate the back. [1]
Position
Head neutral or slightly sniffing, unless a spine injury is possible. [1]
Insert
Open the mouth, slide the device along the hard palate until it stops or the teeth reach the mark. Keep the pause in ventilation as short as possible. [1]
Inflate if needed
Inflate the cuff with the volume the maker states, or none for a gel-type device. [1]
Confirm
Ventilate: chest rises, breath sounds on both sides, no sounds over the stomach, and a waveform on capnography. [1]
Secure and reassess
Secure the device and recheck placement after every patient move. [1]
Common errors
- Long pause without ventilation.
- Skipping capnography to confirm.
- Not rechecking after moving the patient.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS 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.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
Facts and steps follow NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.