You are dispatched to transport a patient who was pulled from a pool after being submerged for several minutes. The patient is unconscious, has a weak pulse, and is breathing spontaneously, but with noticeable difficulty. What is the most appropriate initial intervention for managing this patient during transport?
Place the patient in a left lateral position to prevent aspiration.
Initiate IV fluid therapy to manage hypotension.
Conduct a thorough spinal assessment before proceeding with further treatment.
Administer high-flow oxygen and prepare for potential intubation.
In submersion injuries, maintaining an open airway and ensuring adequate oxygenation is crucial. Administering high-flow oxygen helps mitigate hypoxia, a common complication. Given the patient's unconscious state and breathing difficulty, continually monitoring oxygen saturation and being prepared to intubate if conditions worsen is essential. IV fluids might be useful in specific cases, but they are not the immediate priority if the airway and oxygenation are compromised. Checking for spinal injuries is important, but not the first step in this scenario.
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