Drowning: Patient Education (Nursing)

00:01 This next section is going to look at appropriate patient education for a client about drowning. First thing you want to cover is prevention strategies.

00:10 Now let me remind you be sensitive to what has happened.

00:14 Right. This could be a prevention strategy is usually best when the patient is either getting ready to be discharged or you're in a community setting should not teach prevention strategies when they're in the middle of the crisis.

00:27 So first up, water safety rules and make sure they recognize the importance of supervision. It only takes a minute, particularly for a child to drown. So make sure they know that someone has to have eyes on that child at all times. And if there are a couple people that are responsible for that child, make sure they have very clear communication.

00:48 Who is actually watching that child? I can't tell you how many times I've been in an event and somebody says, do you know where Johnny is? Like I thought you had him.

00:56 I thought you had him.

00:57 So make sure you're very clearly communicating who is responsible for eyes on the child? Swimming lessons are also really important.

01:05 They have them, might be a little controversial, but they have them even for infants, to teach them if they somehow fall into the pool, that they can flip themselves over on their back.

01:15 But at least for smaller children, swimming lessons are very important.

01:19 Personal flotation devices should be used appropriately for age and for the level of activity. Now this next one.

01:27 I live in the southern part of the United States, and I would have a very difficult time convincing some of the people in our area that they should not be drinking while they're boating.

01:38 But it's really true. At least when they're boating, the person that's driving the boat should not be drinking alcohol.

01:46 It's no different than a car.

01:47 You're going really fast in some of those boats, and it's just as risky as if you were driving.

01:52 Same applies to swimming.

01:54 You don't want someone who is drinking to also be swimming, so keep that in mind. Be sensitive to the culture where you are.

02:02 Don't come across as condescending or judging, but just offer why that is risky.

02:07 Now someone has a home pool.

02:09 Make sure they have barriers to prevent someone from wandering into the pool.

02:13 Make sure the pool is covered.

02:15 They could have a water alarm, so if someone fell in the pool, an alarm would go off.

02:19 These are all things that can help make a home pool more safe.

02:23 Also, help them recognize what are dangerous water conditions, particularly things like if you're at the ocean and you're at risk for an undertow.

02:31 These are things to think ahead and for the client to make the decision on how they want to handle these before they're in that situation.

02:39 Now ongoing care education is meant for the people who are going home after experiencing drowning.

02:46 So you want to make sure they are very clear.

02:48 Just like with any discharge patient, what are the signs and symptoms that require further medical condition? What are the things they should watch for specifically and know that if these occur, they should contact the healthcare provider.

03:00 Also want them to know what they need to do for their respiratory hygiene, and what deep breathing exercises they need to do to keep opening up all those lungs.

03:09 You'll have to explain to them what the medication administration risks and rules are. The things they need to watch for and for the side effects.

03:16 Now, some clients will go home with activity restrictions and they'll progressively return to their normal activities.

03:22 This will be decided as the health care team and the health care provider will write specific orders. Finally, make sure if someone is getting ready to go home, they very clearly know when their follow-up appointments are and who they're with and what the requirements are.

03:37 Now, if the client's going home with residual effects, they're not going back exactly as they were before the drowning.

03:44 You want to make sure they're evaluated for any need for adaptive techniques, for activities of daily living.

03:49 If they need assistive devices, what special safety considerations they'll need, and also are the caregivers able to help them.

03:57 So you may also need to do caregiver training.

04:00 Now, when it comes to mental health, someone who has experienced drowning might have post-traumatic stress symptoms.

04:08 I experienced a near drowning canoeing on a river when my I know how to swim. But my feet got caught in the branches.

04:16 And I had one of those experiences where I thought that was the end of my life. And somehow a large arm reached down into the river, pulled me up and threw me on the bank.

04:27 I never saw who that man was.

04:30 I never got to tell him thank you.

04:32 But for a long time after that, it really stressed me out.

04:37 I got super anxious when we were around water again, so know that this can happen.

04:42 I didn't drown, I didn't even get water in my lungs.

04:46 But I did have that experience and it was very traumatic for me.

04:50 Thankfully, now it's much better.

04:51 But just be sensitive to that.

04:53 Don't tell someone "you just need to get over that" because they're working on it.

04:57 It's just something they might not be able to control.

04:59 Help them with coping strategies.

05:01 Help them know what the resources are for psychological support, and then also give the parents guidance on how they can help address the fears in their children.