What to do during a medical emergency - DRSABCD

First Aid Week 2

​

(Flaticon, 2024)

What is DRSABCD

• DRSABCD is an acronym that outlines the key steps of providing first aid during a medical emergency

​

• Using the DRSABCD steps helps to keep a person breathing, reduce their pain, and help them survive until an ambulance arrives

D - danger

• YOUR SAFETY IS YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY!!
• Always assess the situation and your surroundings before involving yourself
• Are you, other bystanders, and the casualty safe and out of harm's way?
• Is there still a threat?
• Dangers include electrical wires, gas leaks, fumes, or obstacles
• If there is a danger present remain in a safe location and wait for it to clear before continuing to help

(Flaticon, 2024)

R - response

If the patient IS responsive:

• Make the casualty feel safe and comfortable
• Call emergency services
• Check for and treat any major injuries
• Continue to monitor their condition until help arrives

If the patient IS NOT responsive…

S - send

• Send for help
• Ask bystander to call 000 for help
• If there are no bystanders nearby, call for help yourself while continuing to care for the patient
• Stay on the phone line with the dispatcher and follow their instructions until help arrives

​

​

What information to give your dispatcher:

• Your location
• Nature of the emergency (heart attack, unconscious casualty, severe bleeding)
• Number of people in need of medical attention
• The casualties condition (breathing, unconscious, injuries they have sustained)
• Your contact details
• Any first aid that has already been provided

(Flaticon, 2024)

A -airways

• Is there anything restricting their airways?
• Keep that patient stable
• Open their mouth and check for anything they may be causing a blockage (e.g. their tongue, food, vomit)

If airway is blocked:

• Move patient into recovery position
• Tilt the patients head back by holding their forehead and open their mouth
• Using the patient's own fingers, remove the blockage from their mouth

(Flaticon, 2024)

B - breathing

• Is the patient breathing
• Keep the patients head tilted back and supported
• LOOK: watch the patients chest for a rise and fall motion (indication of breathing)
• LISTEN: place your ear next to their face to listen for breaths or feel air on your cheek
• FEEL: place one hand on patients chest to feel for movement
• Count out loud for 10 seconds while in this position

If patients breathing is normal:

• Keep patient in recovery position
• Continue to monitor their state until help arrives

​

If patient IS NOT breathing:

• Continue to follow DRSABCD steps

(Flaticon, 2024)

C - CPR

• If available, place a CPR face shield over the casualty's face
• Find the center of the casualty's chest and position one palm there, placing your other hand on top
• Perform 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths
• If bystanders are present, assign roles: one person does compressions while another gives breaths and counts compressions
• For rescue breaths, use the pistol grip technique to support the chin and tilt the head back to open the airways. Turn your head to the side after each breath to check for any breaths from the patient
• Continue CPR until the patient becomes conscious or help arrives
• Swap roles for compressions every 2 minutes, aiming for 5 rounds of CPR in that time

​

(Flaticon, 2024)

D - defibrillator

• Always use a defibrillator if one is available - another bystander should have been sent to find one while someone called 000 for help
• If patient is still unconscious and not breathing when the defibrillator arrives begin following the audio directions and visual cues it provides
• Continue with cpr while the defib is being set up and during socks cpr should continue

(Flaticon, 2024)

Key things to remember

• Always talk to the patient about what you’re doing, even if they are unconscious - they might still be able to hear you
• If the patient is conscious and refuses help, respect their decision - if they become unconscious later, you can start providing care
• Keep communicating clearly with bystanders and update the dispatcher
• Regularly check the patient’s breathing, consciousness, and wounds
• Protect yourself with gloves and a face shield whenever possible
• Keep an eye out for any dangers in the area, as things can change quickly

QUIZ!!!

1. What does the ‘A’ stand for in the DRSABCD acronym

​

​

• What is the correct compressions to breaths ratio when delivering CPR

​

​

• Give 2 examples of how you can communicate with a casualty during the ‘response’ stage of DRSABCD

​

​

​

• What is your biggest priority when providing medical care/DRSABCD

​

Airways

30 compressions: 2 breaths

Ask them questions, ask them to open their eyes, squeeze their shoulders, ask them to squeeze your hand

Your own safety!