Improving the Index of Suspicion for Spinal Injuries in Drowning Victims

Cervical spine injuries have become the hot topic for EMS professionals over the past few years. New studies have proven the most fundamental treatment practices to be ineffective and sometimes harmful to patients. Today, a person who complains of minor neck pain from a low speed traffic collision is treated with a C-collar and placed in position of comfort on a gurney. This is a stark contrast to the previous practice, in which this same patient would have received full spinal immobilization with a backboard and minimal manipulation of the spine. The advancement in research-driven treatment practices has paved the way for better patient comfort, more advanced treatment and improved patient outcomes. This shift in focus however, may cause EMS providers to underestimate the occurrence of spinal injuries in less common emergencies such as in drowning victims. By maintaining a high index of suspicion in drowning victims, the EMS professional will be able to identify the risk factors of possible spinal injury and apply appropriate treatment practices. EMS professionals must understand the different risk factors in relation to three age groups: toddlers (0–4 years), children (5–14 years), and adults (15+ years). Toddlers between 0–4 years old are a unique age group, as they are at risk for drowning in small bodies of water like a bathtub just as easily as they are in a pool.1 This age group is at highest risk when unsupervised near water even for short periods of time. Toddl...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Patient Care Source Type: news