Immersion, Near-Drowning, and Drowning - Assignment Example

Drowning continues to feature as the third most common cause of accidental death across the globe, and the second most common accident fatality in children. The respiratory therapist is concerned with reducing the fatalities and thus they usually ensure some essential basic life support measures are put into action, the paper intended to look into the elements and also takes a look into how mammalian diving influences prognosis in affected victims (Golden, Tipton and Scott, 215).

Most of the victims of drowning usually experience “near-drowning.”  This is seen as temporal survival after a victim aspirates fluids into the lungs. Thus, drowning should be critically taken care of as it poses fatal effects to the brain, plus other vital systems. Respiratory therapists are thus expected to first evacuate the patient is still in the water, keeping in mind the state of the breathing and looking out for associated injuries. They should also arrange for fast transport where indicated and avoid resuscitating if demised is obvious (Golden, Tipton, and Scott, 216).

Secondly, they should do a primary survey where the airway, breathing, circulation, and deformities (ABCD’s) are checked. Evacuation from waters, cardiopulmonary resuscitation stabilizing of the cervical spine and its alignment ensured suctioning of water, secretions, and foreign bodies, stabilizing and reducing movements of the body especially the head. All management of hypothermia has proven significant in assisting submersion victims. Thirdly, ensure that all near-drowning victims are taken to a hospital as delayed pulmonary complications or mortality may occur. Concurrent injuries, scuba-diving associated problems also other disorders amenable to field treatment should be also considered. Elevate the backboard head 30 degrees if there is loss of consciousness, tilt it to the left side to facilitate drainage of secretions and water. Ensuring close monitoring of the comorbidities, emesis, convulsions, respiratory distress, respiratory/cardiac arrest and behavior changes have proven to improve prognosis (Golden, Tipton and Scott, 216).

One distinctive response is the mammalian diving reflex, where the physiological response of the body to submersion in cold water includes shutting down the body parts selectively so that energy could be conserved for survival. It is believed that the facial contact with cold waters triggers the reflex, moving oxygen and available blood to the cardiac and cerebral tissues. The reflex is revealed more by toddlers than adults. Due to the reflex, near-drowning persons have been resuscitated even after one hour of submersion in cold water.  However, the prognosis is dependent on water temperature, length of submersion, age of the victim, and rescue efforts (Golden, Tipton, and Scott, 217).