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Near Drowning

Lorilie A. Weber-Hardy, RRT-NPS(RCP), MEd

Overview

The purpose of this Near Drowning case is to test the knowledge and to build confidence in the advanced respiratory care practitioner's ability to critically think and perform in the care of a pediatric near-drown patient.

The case is written for pediatric intensive care workers. The case takes place in an emergency department (ED) and a pediatric intensive care unit.

Prerequisites include a knowledge of advanced respiratory care of the pediatric population.

Objectives

At the conclusion of this case, the advanced health care worker will be able to:

1. List the equipment that should be prepared in the ED prior to the arrival of a pediatric patient in full cardiopulmonary arrest.
2. List indications for intubation of a pediatric neardrown patient.
3. Estimate appropriate endotracheal tube size when the patient's age is known.
4. List assessment which would help identify proper placement of the ETT in the trachea.
5. Calculate the appropriate size suction catheter to be used when the endotracheal tube size is given.
6. Choose appropriate mechanical ventilator settings for a neardrown pediatric patient.
7. Interpret arterial blood gas results.
8. Complete a patient assessment and make appropriate mechanical ventilator changes in accordance to the patient assessment findings.