AtlantiCare experiences wave of critical water-related injuries

Contact: 

Jennifer Tornetta, (O) 609-569-7010, (C) 609-335-3446, [email protected]

For Immediate Release: July 22, 2020

AtlantiCare has experienced a wave of serious and critical water-related injuries in the last month.

The more than a dozen critical injuries included five that occurred between July 2 and 4 alone, and one drowning.

Critical injuries the team has seen include broken ribs, a broken neck, at least four cases of paralysis, and one drowning.

Patients have ranged in age from 17 to early 70s. “Most of what we have seen is a result of activities in and around the ocean,” said James S. Eakins, M.D., medical director, the Regional Trauma Center at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center Atlantic City Campus.

“What is concerning to us and devastating for patient and families is that most of these injuries are preventable.” Read a blog by Eakins.

“Body surfing, traditional surfing, using personal watercrafts, and diving into swimming pools are among the activities that have led to our most critical injuries,” said Rachael Galego, RN, MBA, Trauma Program director. “Some patients have slipped on rocky areas while fishing.”

“Water can be a dangerous force,” said Eakins.

“Waves can cause crushing injuries to the body itself or through pushing slamming a person onto the sand or other hard surface. Blasting water that personal watercraft devices emit can slice through skin and other organs.”

AtlantiCare’s Emergency Department Team has also treated patients for cuts, broken bones, dislocated joints, and other injuries as a result of water-related activities.

AtlantiCare recommends the following water safety tips:

• Only swim in or enter the ocean, lakes or pools if lifeguards are present.
• When participating in any activity around water, do so with a buddy.
• Make sure a responsible adult supervises children in and around water.
• Refrain from body surfing
• Walking on jetties or other slippery areas
• Diving into the ocean or any shallow area
• Drinking alcohol or using other substances that could impair you when participating in any water-related activities
• Swimming in, diving in or entering into any body of water with which you are not familiar

For more information about AtlantiCare, call the AtlantiCare Access Center at 1-888-569-1000; visit www.atlanticare.org; or find AtlantiCare on Facebook.

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AtlantiCare is an integrated healthcare system based in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, whose more than 6,000 staff, providers and volunteers serve the community in more than 100 locations in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May and Ocean counties of southern New Jersey. Its vision of building healthy communities together drives its mission of making a difference in health and healing, one person at a time, through caring and trusting relationships. A Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winner, AtlantiCare was also included in Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work. AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center was the 105th hospital in the nation to attain the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet™ designation in 2004 and earned redesignation in 2008, 2013, in 2018. Learn more at atlanticare.org or 1-888-569-1000.