TL;DR

Drowning: Respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid. Focus on early ventilation, not water removal from lungs.

By Valenke Exam Prep Team·Last updated 2026-06-02

Drowning

NREMT EMT NREMT PARAMEDIC

Definition

Respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid. Focus on early ventilation, not water removal from lungs.

Practical Example

Field Scenario: A 65-year-old male presents with crushing substernal chest pain radiating to the left arm, diaphoresis, and nausea. 12-lead shows ST elevation in leads II, III, aVF (inferior MI).

This scenario tests your ability to apply knowledge of drowning under time pressure with incomplete information, exactly the type of decision-making the certification exam assesses.

Documentation

Documentation of drowning in the patient care report (PCR) must include: time of assessment, findings, interventions performed, patient response, and reassessment findings. Use objective, measurable terms like "patient reports 8/10 chest pain" rather than "patient in pain." Document pertinent negatives. All medications administered must include drug name, dose, route, time, and patient response.

Overview

Respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid. Focus on early ventilation, not water removal from lungs. Drowning management priorities tested on EMT and Paramedic exams.

In prehospital assessment, blood glucose reference range: adult 70-140 mg/dL, pediatric 60-100 mg/dL (neonates lower). Deviations from these norms guide treatment decisions in the field.

Related Procedures

Procedures related to drowning in the EMS setting:

Stroke recognition: Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (facial droop, arm drift, speech) then last known well time then transport to stroke center
Pediatric weight-based dosing: Broselow tape for length-based weight estimation in emergencies
AHA ACLS cardiac arrest algorithm: CPR then rhythm check then shock if VF/pVT then epinephrine q3-5min then amiodarone

Step-by-Step Procedure

Protocol steps for drowning:

Stroke recognition: Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (facial droop, arm drift, speech) then last known well time then transport to stroke center

Why It Matters

Drowning management priorities tested on EMT and Paramedic exams.

Practice This Topic

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Frequently Asked Questions

What medications are commonly associated with drowning?▼

For drowning: epinephrine: 1:10,000 1mg IV/IO q3-5min (cardiac arrest), 1:1,000 0.3mg IM (anaphylaxis), route IV/IO, IM, ET, for Cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis, severe asthma. amiodarone: 300mg IV/IO first dose, 150mg second dose, route IV/IO, for Refractory VF/pVT.

What assessment tools help evaluate drowning?▼

For drowning: Trauma Score: evaluates GCS, Systolic BP, Respiratory rate; scoring is Revised Trauma Score: coded values 0-4, sum correlates with survival probability. Glasgow Coma Scale: evaluates Eye opening (1-4), Verbal response (1-5), Motor response (1-6); scoring is 3-15, 8 or less = severe, 9-12 = moderate, 13-15 = mild.

What equipment is needed for managing drowning in the field?▼

For drowning: Pulse oximeter provides Measures SpO2 via infrared absorption through capillary bed. Waveform capnograph provides Measures end-tidal CO2 continuously with waveform display. BVM provides Bag-valve-mask for manual ventilation.