Introduction to DRSABCD in First Aid
Learning basic first aid skills can help you greatly in saving someone’s life in a life-or-death situation. According to a survey held in 2021, in the UK more than 30% of adults in the UK did not know how to perform compressions or CPR and had never enrolled themselves on an introductory first aid courses or qualifications.
When it comes to learning and keeping yourself up-to-date with first aid, anyone can enrol on first aid courses. In doing so, you will be able to rescue someone in an emergency; whether it is pressurizing or covering the wound, basic medical safety comes in handy; therefore, this training is frequently provided in schools and several workplaces.
Talking about first aid, there is an essential action plan called DRSABCD – a linear series of steps that may help you in reducing someone’s pain, cover a wound, or provide CPR to someone who is in critical condition.
To make it more understandable, we have mentioned what DRSABCD stands for in detail.
DRSABCD Action Plan in First Aid
DRSABCD is a series of steps that can assist someone during an emergency. It is designed to help assess the level of danger and determine the appropriate course of action to aid those involved. Let’s break down the meaning of DRSABCD, its steps and how to carry each one out effectively.
1. Danger
The first in DRSABCD is to assess the danger; in an emergency, ensure that the situation is safe for yourself and the patient. For instance, if an accident has occurred on a road, you must ensure that the area is safe first and traffic does not pose a threat. If the victim is trapped in the car and badly injured, moving them might cause further damage; in such an event, it is better to wait and call for professional help or ask someone else to help you.
2. Response
Once you have assessed the surroundings, it’s time to check for the signs of life. The next step of DRSABCD in first aid is to check the casualty’s consciousness and responsiveness. Upon reaching, check if they are responsive by shaking their shoulders, asking them their name or asking how many fingers you are holding.
You might face two situations after reaching the casualty – they may or may not respond:
- If they are responsive, assess their state, gauge the pain and what type of help they need.
- On the contrary, if they are unconscious and unable to respond, immediately call for professional help or start providing CPR.
3. Send for Help
Whether the injured person is responsive or not, immediately call 999, keep the phone on speaker and perform basic first aid while the professional help heads to your location.
4. Airway
If someone’s airway is blocked, you can visually assess by getting closer to them and checking if something is blocking their throat or nose. Tilt their head and slightly keep their chin upwards; it’s good if you think you can remove the obstruction, otherwise wait for professional help or ask someone to assist you.
5. Breathing
Once the airway is cleared, check whether the person is breathing or not. In order to do so, get closer and hear their breathing or put your hand under their chest to check their breathing. If they are not breathing properly you might want to start CPR for resuscitation or if they are breathing but unconscious, put them in the safety position by tilting them to their side, ensuring their spine, head and neck remains aligned. In the meanwhile, keep monitoring their breathing until the medical experts arrive.
6. CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
If the casualty is not breathing performing CPR is essential to circulate blood and oxygen throughout the body. For CPR:
- Position and place you’re both hands on the lower half of the breastbone in the centre of the chest.
- Press down firmly at 1/3 depth and give at least 30 compressions,
- Next, open the person’s airway by pinching their nose to seal, place your mouth over theirs and blow steadily for 1 second,
- Give 30 compression and 2 breaths and try to give around 120 compressions in a minute while monitoring their breath.
Continue the process until the medical officers and ambulance arrives.
7. Defibrillation
If you cannot recover the casualty’s breath, use an automated external defibrillator (AED) if available. One thing to keep in mind is that it should be used right after performing CPR.
Modern defibrillator comes with proper and step-by-step instructions; therefore, follow the instruction and wait for the medical experts to arrive.
Conclusion
DRSABCD is an essential first aid training which can help save someone’s life. Though we have tried to cover each step and its process in detail, you can enrol on our first aid courses where you can gain knowledge and skills regarding the basics of first aid, DRSABCD and how to effectively face and deal with an emergency.
