Concern among nurses about the high number of drownings… these are their tips to avoid them

The General Nursing Council, given the high number of drownings (222 deaths) so far this year in rivers, swamps, swimming pools or beaches, has asked not to lower our guard and follow the recommendations of professionals because “most of the time these deadly incidents can be avoided”, according to a note sent by this professional body chaired by Florentino Pérez Raya.

Drowning in water is the third leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide, accounting for 75% of all injury-related deaths.. Worldwide, 236,000 people die from this type of accident, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In 2021, 510 people drowned in Spain, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), of which 419 were men and 91 women.

Among those of legal age, between 80-84 years old, the highest rate of drowning occurs in our country (2.9) per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by those between 75 and 79 years old (2.62); between 70-74 years (1.75) followed by the groups between 20 and 24 years (1.75), according to data from the Ministry of Health.

Health has identified several factors that influence drowning such as the adoption of risky behaviors, moments of relaxation with minors, bathing in unsupervised areas, the consumption of alcohol and other drugs near or in the water, medical conditions such as epilepsy and tourists unfamiliar with the particularities of the local waters.

Drownings occur quickly and silently, most of the time the victim has been out of sight for less than five minutes.

Municipal swimming pool in Madrid. JAVIER BARBANCHO | THE WORLD

In addition to prevention, the Council believes that first aid training is “very important” to be able to handle this type of situation and prevent a risky situation with a possible drowning ending with several fatalities such as the tragic event of a father who died trying to save her three-year-old son who fell into a swimming pool and who also lost his life afterwards.

It is also recalled that individuals who do not die must be admitted to hospital centers to try to alleviate brain damage and even cardiac arrest that can be caused by lack of oxygen.

Decalogue of nurses to avoid drowning:

1. Get acquainted with the pool
2. Don't swim beyond your means
3. Know the depth of the glass
4. Avoid head diving
5. Do not eat alcohol or very heavy meals
6. Put fences with locks in private pools
7. Always monitor minors and never leave them in the care of another minor
8. Choose supervised areas for swimming on beaches and pools
9. School-age children must learn to swim
10. Train the environment in safe rescue and resuscitation

Sanitation recommendations for a safe bathroom:

1. Make sure the pool you go to with your family has a lifeguard. Remember that the supervision of your minor children is your responsibility, and that of the lifeguard is the rescue and aquatic salvage when necessary.
2. Make sure that your small children cannot freely access the pool.
3. It is very dangerous to run on the edge of the pool or play push people. You could slip and hit the edge or injure others.
4. If you don't know how to swim, or you can't swim well, wear a life jacket when bathing and always wear it for water sports. Inflatable floats are not recommended.
5. On the beach, respect the flags. Never bathe if it is red, and with yellow it is dangerous: bathe only up to the waist and with caution. In addition, bathe in beaches with surveillance and always respect the instructions of the lifeguards. On the other hand, do not overestimate your physical condition or ability to swim: in the sea, if you get tired or have difficulty returning, swim on your back moving your legs only until you get close to the shore. Lastly, if you feel yourself being pulled in by a current, swim parallel to the beach and once you have left the beach, swim towards the shore.
6. Do not bathe in areas where bathing is prohibited.
7. Always bathe in company, particularly if it is an elderly person or with a health problem.
8. Bathing at night is very dangerous, if something happened to him, no one would be able to see him.
9. Remember that alcohol consumption decreases the ability to react to danger or may encourage the adoption of risky behaviors.
10. Jumping headfirst from a great height, such as bridges, trees or balconies, can cause very serious injuries. Before diving, make sure there is enough depth and there are no obstacles. Especially in case of cloudy water.
11. Mats and other inflatable objects must be used with caution, since they can drag us inside quickly.
12. Get out of the water right away if you get tired or cold.
13. Knowledge of basic first aid in the population can contribute to a better response to this type of emergency. In this way, the actions carried out before the arrival of the emergency services can help reduce the risk of serious injury or death.