NPLQ First Aid and Emergency Response 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which symptom most strongly suggests a spinal injury in a pool accident victim?
- Rapid heart rate
- Excessive sweating
- Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs (Correct answer)
- Nausea and vomiting
Correct answer: Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
Numbness or tingling in the extremities indicates possible spinal cord involvement and requires immediate spinal precautions.
Question 2: What is the preferred in-water technique for managing a victim with a suspected spinal injury?
- Lift and carry the victim out of the water immediately
- Apply a vise-grip or head-splint and log-roll the victim onto a backboard (Correct answer)
- Pull the victim by the arms to the pool edge
- Tilt the head back to open the airway before any movement
Correct answer: Apply a vise-grip or head-splint and log-roll the victim onto a backboard
The vise-grip or head-splint technique maintains the head and spine in a neutral position while the victim is log-rolled onto a backboard.
Question 3: In secondary drowning (near-drowning), what is the primary medical concern in the hours following rescue?
- Severe bradycardia
- Hypoglycemia from exertion
- Hypertension from the stress response
- Delayed pulmonary edema and hypoxia (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Delayed pulmonary edema and hypoxia
Aspirated water can cause delayed pulmonary edema and dangerous hypoxia hours after the initial incident.
Question 4: A victim is found floating face-down in the pool with a suspected spinal injury. What is the FIRST action?
- Immediately lift the victim out of the water
- Call 911 and wait at poolside
- Start rescue breaths in the water without moving the head
- Stabilize the head and spine in a neutral position before any further movement (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Stabilize the head and spine in a neutral position before any further movement
Stabilizing the head and spine in a neutral position must occur before any movement to prevent worsening a potential injury.
Question 5: When extracting a spinal injury victim from the pool on a backboard, how should the board be positioned?
- Angled at 45 degrees against the pool wall
- Tilted at the shallow-end steps
- Leaned vertically against the pool edge
- Submerged horizontally under the victim (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Submerged horizontally under the victim
The backboard is submerged and slid horizontally beneath the victim so it can be lifted straight up without bending the spine.
Question 6: If spinal injury is NOT suspected, how should a lifeguard open the airway of an unresponsive drowning victim on land?
- Triple airway maneuver
- Jaw-thrust maneuver only
- Do not attempt to open the airway until EMS arrives
- Head-tilt chin-lift (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Head-tilt chin-lift
The head-tilt chin-lift is the recommended technique for opening the airway when spinal injury is not a concern.
Question 7: What does 'dry drowning' refer to in aquatic emergency contexts?
- Drowning that occurs in very shallow water
- Drowning with no bystanders present
- Cardiac arrest occurring before the victim enters the water
- Laryngospasm that prevents water from entering the lungs, causing asphyxia (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Laryngospasm that prevents water from entering the lungs, causing asphyxia
Dry drowning occurs when a laryngospasm seals the airway upon water contact, keeping water out of the lungs but causing asphyxia.
NPLQ First Aid and Emergency Response 3
Which symptom most strongly suggests a spinal injury in a pool accident victim?