First aid for a person saved from drowning: ACLS certification

Ahmed Raza

Reviewed by Lorraine Anne Liu, RN, a registered nurse and cum laude graduate with experience in OR, ICU, delivery room, and OPD. She specializes in pediatric care and primary health care nursing and is certified in BLS, IV therapy, and cardiac assessment.

Non-fatal drowning

“Non-fatal drowning” is a term used for a person who developed trouble breathing from being underwater or having their head underwater and survived. ¹ Drowning is a major cause of accidental death for people of every age group and the second leading cause of death from accidents among children aged 1–14 years. Most of these accidents occur in recreational water settings, including pools, hot tubs, and natural water reservoirs (e.g., lakes, rivers, and oceans). Playing in water is a source of pleasure and exercise for children, but water and children can be a lethal combination when hazardous conditions and poor supervision coexist. Drowning is a silent event — the victim cannot cry or call for help. For each drowning death, it is estimated that at least 1 to 4 children suffer a severe nonfatal injury, many of which leave children with disabilities for life. In non-fatal drowning, early survival after immersion varies — most children found within two minutes of immersion survive without neurological effects, but outcomes can be deadly if resuscitation is delayed. If someone has been saved from a non-fatal drowning, early first aid and medical help are critical. ¹

Considerations and causes

Every year thousands of people drown in the United States. Most accidents happen within reach of safety. Quick action and early first aid can save a life. A person who is drowning cannot ask for help. Drowning in the bathtub is a leading cause in children younger than one year. A drowning person can be revived even after a long period of time underwater, especially if the victim is young and was in very cold water. If you spot someone fully clothed in water, suspect an accident. Observe irregular swimming patterns, which are a sign that the swimmer is getting tired. Usually, only the head can be seen above the surface of the water — the rest of the body sinks.¹

Causes of drowning include:

• Attempted suicide
• Attempting to swim beyond one’s capability
• Behavioral or developmental disorders
• Head injury while in the water
• Being intoxicated while swimming or boating
• Cardiac arrest or other cardiac events
• Refusal to use life jackets
• Risk-taking behavior
• Small children left unsupervised near bathtubs

First aid

When you see someone drowning, do not put yourself at risk. Before getting into ice or water, make sure it is safe for you. Throw a rope to the victim, attached with a light material such as a life ring or life jacket, or extend a pole or branch of a tree to pull them to shore. If you are a trained rescuer, do so right away only if it will not compromise your safety. If the person has stopped breathing, start rescue breathing as soon as you reach a boat, raft, or surfboard, or reach water where it is shallow enough to stand. Continue rescue breaths every few seconds while moving them to dry land. Once on land, check the pulse of the drowning person — if you cannot feel a pulse, perform CPR. Always use caution when moving a person who has been drowning. Neck injuries are uncommon in people who survive drowning unless they have been struck in the head. Neck and spine injuries may also occur when a person falls into shallow water. Because of this, the American Heart Association guidelines recommend against strictly immobilizing the spine unless there are clear head injuries. However, the victim’s head and neck should be kept steady and aligned with the body while performing CPR and during rescue from water.

These additional steps should be followed:

• Look for any other critical injury and give first aid.
• Ask the person to stay calm and still. Search for medical help as soon as possible.
• Change any cold, wet clothes from the person with warm clothes. This will assist to stop hypothermia.¹

Drowning prevention

Everyone wants to see their children safe and healthy. Knowing how to prevent major causes of child accidents, like drowning, is an important step toward this goal. When we are having fun at the beach or swimming pool, we don’t think about accidents as a first concern. Yet drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for young children. In fact, drowning is the leading cause of death in children aged 1–4, excluding birth defects. Parents and caregivers can play a major role in protecting their loved ones from drowning. ²

Key prevention tips

• Everyone should learn first aid and CPR, and children should learn to swim.
• Install a four-sided fence around swimming pools. This will help prevent children from accessing the pool area when they are not supposed to be swimming. The pool area should be separated from the house and children’s play area.
• Children should wear life jackets in and around the ocean or lakes, even if they know how to swim.
• Closely supervise children when they are in or near water. Because drowning occurs swiftly and silently, adults should avoid distracting activities.

To learn more about life-saving skills, get your ACLS certificate through our online ACLS certification or ACLS recertification.

References

1. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000046.htm
2. https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/prevention/index.html