Emergency Resuscitation by a Team of Lifeguards: Survival through Collaboration and Readiness
In the world of lifeguarding, continuous learning and regular drills are essential, especially when it comes to resuscitation techniques. The ability to effectively administer resuscitation can make the difference between a tragic incident and a life saved.
When dealing with a drowning victim, the primary focus is on clearing the airway and providing ventilations, often referred to as rescue breaths. The tilt-chin-lift method is a common technique used to open the victim's airway, keeping it open during resuscitation by carefully tilting the head and lifting the chin.
The process of giving ventilations involves ensuring the airway is open, delivering the right amount of air, and doing so at the right pace. For older children and adults, the rescuer should pinch the nose shut, create a proper seal with their mouth over the victim's, and blow air for about one second, ensuring the chest rises. For infants, the rescuer covers both the mouth and nose with their mouth and delivers the breath for about one second, watching for chest rise.
In a drowning emergency, it's crucial to administer five initial rescue breaths before starting chest compressions. This quick oxygenation of the lungs is a significant difference from standard CPR for cardiac arrest, as drowning victims primarily suffer from a lack of oxygen.
The CPR cycles then follow, with a single rescuer performing 30 compressions followed by two rescue breaths. For children and infants, if two rescuers are available, a compression-to-ventilation ratio of 15:2 is used, resulting in slightly more frequent breaths.
Effective CPR aims for about 100 to 120 compressions per minute, and the ratio usually means that there are approximately 4 to 5 rescue breaths per minute during CPR cycles for both adults and children. For infants and children with two rescuers, the number of breaths per minute will be slightly higher, approximately 8 to 10.
This method aligns with the traditional ABC approach (Airway, Breathing, Compressions) recommended for drowning victims, emphasizing airway clearance and ventilation first because the primary problem is hypoxia due to water in the lungs rather than a cardiac cause.
It's important to note that the role of a lifeguard is primarily to stabilize the victim, not to diagnose. Evaluating breathing patterns is crucial in determining the victim's condition. Absence of breathing necessitates rescue breathing with regular intervals and adequate puff quantities. Sporadic breathing could indicate a possible brain injury.
In summary, the ability to give effective ventilations is a critical skill for lifeguards in drowning situations. The key steps include opening the airway, delivering the breaths, and maintaining the right pace and ratio of compressions to ventilations. By following these steps, lifeguards can help ensure the best possible outcome for victims of drowning emergencies.
| Victim Type | Compression-to-Ventilation Ratio | Ventilations per Minute | Notes | |-------------------|---------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | Adults, children (single rescuer) | 30:2 | ~4-5 | 5 initial rescue breaths before compressions | | Infants, children (two rescuers) | 15:2 | ~8-10 | More frequent breaths with two rescuers |
Incorporating principles from health-and-wellness, science confirms the importance of opening the airway and delivering the right amount of air, a technique commonly referred to as rescue breaths, to aid a drowning victim. Fitness-and-exercise play a role in being able to administer these rescue breaths effectively, as per CPR guidelines, requiring about 100 to 120 compressions per minute for adults and children, and slightly higher for infants and children with two rescuers.
