Action
Apply Passive External Rewarming (Class Il)
- Remove wet clothing
- Insulate with warm blankets/forced-air warming blankets
Additionally:
- Cardiorespiratory monitoring with continuous pulse oximetry
- Chest x-ray (Class II)
- Observe for 4-8 hours without supplemental oxygen (Class II)
- Clear cervical spine if history of trauma
Decision
Are chest x-ray and oxygen saturation normal?
Yes - Normal chest x-ray and vital signs (Class II)
- Discharge home (Class II)
- Consider social work consultation for all drowning victims who present to the ED.
No - Abnormal chest x-ray or requires oxygen supplementation
- Admit to hospital
- Consider social work consultation for all drowning victims who present to the ED.
