Submersion

Question 1

What happens to someone who is drowning?

Answer 1

• ingestion of water > can cause vomiting during resuscitation attempts
• once pt can’t keep airway above water: breathing reflex causes water aspiration; laryngospasm keeps too much water from getting in lungs, but also keeps air out of lungs > asphyxia, not enough oxygen, loss of consciousness > respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest > brain damage, death
• when laryngospasm relaxes, water enters lungs

Question 2

drowning evac

Answer 2

if they were unresponsive at all: fast evac
if signs/sxs of breathing difficulty: fast evac