Drowning
What is drowning?
Drowning is something that occurs when a person is incompetent of supporting themselves afloat in the water. Most cases of drowning occur at the beach, pools, lakes and rivers. Unconsciousness or water inhalations are main factors that contribute to a person drowning.
Symptoms
Treatment - DRSABCD
Danger
First, you must check that there is no immediate danger to most importantly yourself, then others around you, and lastly the victim. In this case danger would be in the water. If the depth of the water is unknown enter the water by using the safety water entry or slide in. Swim to the victim, head up freestyle and keep your eyes on them the whole time.
Response
The second step is to get the victim to respond to you in order to tell if they are conscious or unconscious. When you reach close to the victim, approach them with caution by sticking out your feel in front of your body and carry out a sculling action with the hands. Talk to the victim for a response, and if they respond tell them that you are here to save them and how you intend to carry out that process. Once calm, toe the victim either by the hair or through the arms. If the victim is unconscious with there face down always suspect there is a spinal injury. Tow the victim by gripping their chin in a pistol formation and clasping your arms between there chest and back compressing against one another to immobilize movement. With your hands in that position, roll them by going under them (they should end up near you) and kick beneath the body to start towing. When you reach the edge onto land, hold the victim still and wait for assistance if a spinal injury is suspected. If the victim is conscious and breathing pull them out of the water and put them in recovery position.
Recovery Position
1. Kneel next to the victim who is lying on their back.
2. Have one arm stretched out across the floor, and the other arm folded to touch their opposite shoulder.
3. Support the head of the victim and lift the knee that is closest to you.
4. Roll the victim gently away from you. The knee of the victim should be rolled towards the same side where the victim’s arm is stretched out across the floor. The knee should end up resting on the floor, bent at a 90 degree angle, while the other leg is straight.
These steps of the recovery position need to be carried out carefully and slowly incase the victim has been injured. By moving them in the recovery position quickly it could worsen the injury.
Send for help
If there is no response from the victim, dial 000 for an ambulance or ask another person to make the call. If you are familiar with first aid you can assist the victim while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
Airway
The first step to assisting the victim is to make sure that their airway is open and clear. In order to open the airway, tilt the head of the victim and lift their chin.
Breathing
Look at their chest to see if it is moving and feel for breaths on your cheek, while listening for breaths. This will help tell you if they're breathing or not. If the victim appears to be breathing roll them into the recovery position and wait for the ambulance to arrive. If the victim is not breathing, check that there are no objects blocking their airway. If there is foreign material in their mouth move them into the recovery position, remembering to use the pistol grip and with your fingers scoop out the material. This position keeps the airway open and allows liquids to drain from the mouth, making it easier for the victim to breathe.
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
If the victim is still not breathing start performing CPR immediately. Firstly, assuming this victim is an adult, place your hands locked in with each other over the lower half of the patient’s chest. Push down on the about 1/3 of the patients chest. Apply 30 compressions to 2 breaths at a rate of 100 compressions per minute. When you give victim breaths, gently tilt their head back and pinch their nose. When dealing with a child from 1 to 8 years old, do the same, only using one hand. When performing CPR on a baby, use two fingers to push and instead of using deep breaths, use puffs or very small breaths. The aim is to achieve a normal rise and fall of the patient’s chest. Once you have started performing CPR you can only stop when someone who is better at it then you arrives or professional help is available. If you are with another person, take turns performing CPR.
Defibrillation
The last step to DRSABCD is to apply defibrillation. Only do so when prompted by a professional or if you have sufficient knowledge or training. If you are in a situation where you need to use defibrillation, turn the device on and follow the verbal instructions from the machine.
Drowning is something that occurs when a person is incompetent of supporting themselves afloat in the water. Most cases of drowning occur at the beach, pools, lakes and rivers. Unconsciousness or water inhalations are main factors that contribute to a person drowning.
Symptoms
- Distress.
- Struggling to Swim.
- Water inhalation.
- Unconsciousness.
- Heavy Breathing/ Struggling to Breathe.
- Panic.
- Arms are pushed down against the water, unable to wave or grab for safety.
- Body is upright with no kicking to help them to surface
Treatment - DRSABCD
Danger
First, you must check that there is no immediate danger to most importantly yourself, then others around you, and lastly the victim. In this case danger would be in the water. If the depth of the water is unknown enter the water by using the safety water entry or slide in. Swim to the victim, head up freestyle and keep your eyes on them the whole time.
Response
The second step is to get the victim to respond to you in order to tell if they are conscious or unconscious. When you reach close to the victim, approach them with caution by sticking out your feel in front of your body and carry out a sculling action with the hands. Talk to the victim for a response, and if they respond tell them that you are here to save them and how you intend to carry out that process. Once calm, toe the victim either by the hair or through the arms. If the victim is unconscious with there face down always suspect there is a spinal injury. Tow the victim by gripping their chin in a pistol formation and clasping your arms between there chest and back compressing against one another to immobilize movement. With your hands in that position, roll them by going under them (they should end up near you) and kick beneath the body to start towing. When you reach the edge onto land, hold the victim still and wait for assistance if a spinal injury is suspected. If the victim is conscious and breathing pull them out of the water and put them in recovery position.
Recovery Position
1. Kneel next to the victim who is lying on their back.
2. Have one arm stretched out across the floor, and the other arm folded to touch their opposite shoulder.
3. Support the head of the victim and lift the knee that is closest to you.
4. Roll the victim gently away from you. The knee of the victim should be rolled towards the same side where the victim’s arm is stretched out across the floor. The knee should end up resting on the floor, bent at a 90 degree angle, while the other leg is straight.
These steps of the recovery position need to be carried out carefully and slowly incase the victim has been injured. By moving them in the recovery position quickly it could worsen the injury.
Send for help
If there is no response from the victim, dial 000 for an ambulance or ask another person to make the call. If you are familiar with first aid you can assist the victim while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
Airway
The first step to assisting the victim is to make sure that their airway is open and clear. In order to open the airway, tilt the head of the victim and lift their chin.
Breathing
Look at their chest to see if it is moving and feel for breaths on your cheek, while listening for breaths. This will help tell you if they're breathing or not. If the victim appears to be breathing roll them into the recovery position and wait for the ambulance to arrive. If the victim is not breathing, check that there are no objects blocking their airway. If there is foreign material in their mouth move them into the recovery position, remembering to use the pistol grip and with your fingers scoop out the material. This position keeps the airway open and allows liquids to drain from the mouth, making it easier for the victim to breathe.
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
If the victim is still not breathing start performing CPR immediately. Firstly, assuming this victim is an adult, place your hands locked in with each other over the lower half of the patient’s chest. Push down on the about 1/3 of the patients chest. Apply 30 compressions to 2 breaths at a rate of 100 compressions per minute. When you give victim breaths, gently tilt their head back and pinch their nose. When dealing with a child from 1 to 8 years old, do the same, only using one hand. When performing CPR on a baby, use two fingers to push and instead of using deep breaths, use puffs or very small breaths. The aim is to achieve a normal rise and fall of the patient’s chest. Once you have started performing CPR you can only stop when someone who is better at it then you arrives or professional help is available. If you are with another person, take turns performing CPR.
Defibrillation
The last step to DRSABCD is to apply defibrillation. Only do so when prompted by a professional or if you have sufficient knowledge or training. If you are in a situation where you need to use defibrillation, turn the device on and follow the verbal instructions from the machine.