In an emergency it helps to have a simple order to follow. Australian first aid training uses DRSABCD, an action plan you can run through even when you are under pressure.
- Danger — check for dangers to yourself, bystanders and the person. Do not put yourself at risk.
- Response — check whether the person responds. Ask their name, squeeze their shoulders.
- Send for help — call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance, or ask someone else to. Stay on the line if you can.
- Airway — make sure the airway is open and clear.
- Breathing — check whether the person is breathing normally.
- CPR — if they are not breathing normally, start CPR: 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths, and keep going.
- Defibrillation — attach an AED as soon as one is available and follow its voice prompts.
Why practise it?
Reading the steps is a start, but the skill is in doing them. In our courses you practise the full sequence on manikins, with realistic scenarios, until it feels natural. The action plan is the backbone of every HLTAID009, HLTAID011 and HLTAID012 session we run.
This article is general information, not a substitute for a nationally recognised first aid course. See our courses.