CH. 3 Drowning and Submersion

Question 1

What is Drowning?

Answer 1

Drowning is the process of respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in a liquid.

Question 2

Treatment principles for drowning

Answer 2

1. Rescue breathing, maybe critical for preventing cardiac arrest.
2. Cardiac compression only CPR is not advised.
3. Consider use of an AED
4. Remove water and vomit from the airway.
5. ventilate through white foam.
6. consider protecting the spine if there is a clear MOI for spine
7. Treat for hypothermia
8. Monitor
9. in a non fatal drowning onset of respiratory sighs and symptoms is usually in six hours.
10. monitor for wet lung sounds, productive cough, rapid shallow ventilations, cyanosis, sudsternal burning, inability to take a deep breath, irregular and or depressed heart rate or decreased level of response.

Question 3

Evacuation guidelines for drowning

Answer 3

1. Rapidly evacuate any person of a submersion incident who was unresponsive at anytime during the submersion or who shows sighs of respiratory problems secondary to aspirating water