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British woman dies in hotel pool

A 68-year-old British woman died in a swimming pool at a hotel in Triq il-Merluzz, Qawra, this afternoon.

The police said the incident happened at around 2.15 p.m.

The woman found herself in difficulty while she was swimming. She was given first aid by people who were on the spot but the efforts to save her proved futile.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke is holding an inquiry.

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St John Ambulance

Jun 15th 2010, 19:43

When someone attends a first aid course he or she is taught how to properly assess a casualty before administering CPR or any other type of first aid.

http://www.stjohnambulancemalta.com/id13.html

RMangion

Jun 15th 2010, 22:47

@mike azzopardi

With all respect mike, but CPR is not a game, in all courses irrespective where the course is held ,one is thought when to give CPR.

My concern is more that people are afraid to use CPR, for various reasons in an eventual emergency.

RMangion

Jun 14th 2010, 21:25

@ J Oatmon.

I do not believe it is included however a petition is being signed to include this in the curriculum. There is also a facebook group. I have said this before in another article, I used to watch these reality tv 911 programmes. A paramedic thought basic life support to his son ( a teenager 11-12) and during class the teacher had a cardiac arrest and went unconscious. The child's CPR saved him :)

Food for thought !!

Margaret White

Jun 14th 2010, 09:59

If there was at least one of us who completed the life saving course, even 18 year old like us, the woman would not have died. its a shame that we Maltese live surrounded by sea and very very few of us know how to save someone in difficulty.

R.Mangion

Jun 14th 2010, 11:01

Companies now can benefit from funds available from ETC through the TAF scheme in fact, so this should be easier .

R Mangion

Jun 14th 2010, 08:57

It depends on the hotel , I know that the radisson hotels have an AED and fully qualified first aiders. OTher hotels do not even have a basic first aid kit

G Caruana

Jun 13th 2010, 18:41

The E 111 card means that the Maltese government paid France the bill of your friend's hospitalisation!

walter calleja

Jun 13th 2010, 19:09

dear mr aqauilina you were in port and not a hotel, therfore as you might know a port has to have a port medical doctor!!!

you are out of point sir!!

i think dr jolsin's comment is the most appropriate one.

@ jesmond abela, a&e nurses might wish to have more training , however they wre given courses liek the PHEC. most of them do take courses on their own initiave like als, ils etc etc

@ janice caruana .... the courses you mentioned are already given. In all maltese hospitals, public and private basic fire fighting and lifting and handling are already being gien.



Christine Goodwin

Jun 13th 2010, 19:31

Yes Mr G Caruana and when i was last in Malta and fractured my wrist the British government paid Malta the bill for my treatment. Your point is?

G Caruana

Jun 13th 2010, 21:44

My point, Ms Goodwin, is that Mr Aquilina said 'Thanks to E111, the charges where (sic) on the house'
This is incorrect because the Maltese Government paid for his friend's healthcare and they were NOT 'on the house'. ('On the house' means free because the French Government paid.)
That is my point, Ms Goodwin, I hope that you appreciate the extra explanation to enable you to grasp the point. Good evening.

J. van Loes

Jun 14th 2010, 00:29

Same here we are from the \netherlands and the first thing they asked us is for the E111 blue card, which means our government too pays malta for our treatment. IN Maltese hospital, nothing is free in your country. So whats the problem?

Nick Falzon

Jun 14th 2010, 13:33

What a shame for this poor woman and her family. She was probably enjoying a lovely holiday in Malta. Terrible tragedy.

On another note, Malta and the UK have a long-standing agreement in place regarding medical treatment.

British people get free treatement on the Malta NHS, Maltese people get free treatment on the British NHS.

Simple as that.

No EU documents required.

mark cassar

Jun 13th 2010, 17:30

i totally agree with dr joslin's comments. just a question: would you also recommend the isntallation of and aed even near pool areas ?

Jesmond Abela

Jun 13th 2010, 17:40

Dear Dr Joslin,
While it is of vital importance that hotels have trained staff able to deliver BLS, it is also essential that the much able nurses of the casualty dept. at Mater Dei hospital, receive the necessary training that they deserve and continue to advance their knowledge. I still cannot understand that nursing staff at the casualty dept. has to go through hard time for basic training with NO acknowledgments for what they achieve.

janice caruana

Jun 13th 2010, 18:49

@ jesmond abela

totally agree. not just the A & E nurses who have been waiting years for some trainng, but even nurses of other wards like handling & lifting courses for whose who work in medical wards, fire controll and RELAISTIC fire drill using the back stairs and propper fire escape

Ivon Spencer

Jun 13th 2010, 22:56

As a nurse who works in the pre hospital setting, I would like to explain that we are all well trained in offering the best pre-hospital care and all eager to learn more skills to continue saving lives. When a cardiac arrest happens, time is critical and getting an AED and professional help as fast a possible on site is of paramount importance. What could surely help is to get as many lay people as possible to take up First aid courses so life can be preserved until we professionals arrive on site to help.

Vanessa Mifsud

Jun 13th 2010, 15:55

No, they see it as a waste of money since it doesn't happen that often. The company usually arrange for 1st aid courses to be given to a number of Employees from different departments within the same hotel. However, remember that by performing 'correct' CPR, it doesn't mean that you are sure that you will save the casualty (That only happens in movies), so i praise those who tried helping out as it takes a lot of courage to perform CPR. Nonetheless, I strongly agree with you that there should be someone employed to give 1st aid before medical assistance arrives.

A. Briffa

Jun 13th 2010, 16:16

with this your way of reasoning, should the government provide first aiders in all of malta and gozo's beaches?

paul curmi

Jun 13th 2010, 16:17

what do you mean an adavnced first aid? don't tell me you are now instigating beach hotels should have a lifeguard on duty !!!! give us a break !!

Louise Cassar

Jun 13th 2010, 17:21

Uhm Paul Curmi, yes there should be! Always! However, I think that the gov should provide the service on public beaches, private beaches and swimming pools should employ their own first aiders.

C Galea

Jun 13th 2010, 17:28

Yes sure, why not? All hotels in Malta should have their own medical staff consisting of a surgeon, two doctors, five nurses and a number of nursing aides. Also they should have their own ambulance, operating teather and if possible a small clinic and pharmacy as well. This is what all hotels around the world do have don't they? And I forgot to mention, they also provide this service for free. Sic..............tirringrazzja l-Mulej li jkollok il-flus fil but jekk accidentalment jinqalalek xi haga barra minn Malta ghax hemm ihalluk titmerrmer minghajr ma hadd jaghti kasek!

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