Final answer:
The second lifeguard should perform 100 chest compressions per minute on the drowning victim following proper hand placement guidelines to maximize the effectiveness of CPR and reduce the risk of additional harm.
Step-by-step explanation:
The second lifeguard should immediately begin chest compressions as part of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), following the guidelines of 100 compressions per minute, to a depth of at least 5 cm, and ideally to the beat of 'Staying Alive' by the Bee Gees. This procedure is critical in maintaining blood flow, especially to the brain, to minimize the risk of irreversible brain damage. It is essential that the hands are properly placed on the sternum between the lines at T4 and T9 to ensure the compressions are effective and reduce the risk of injury to the victim.
High-quality chest compressions are the current emphasis for uninitiated bystanders until professional medical help arrives or the victim regains spontaneous contraction. Only trained individuals should perform artificial respiration along with compressions, and care must be taken to avoid causing harm such as broken ribs or driving the xiphoid process into the liver, which could be fatal. Continuous and effective CPR is potentially lifesaving and should be conducted until the patient is handed over to medical professionals or is declared deceased by a healthcare professional.