First aid basics and DRSABCD

Learning basic first aid techniques can help you cope with an emergency. You may be able to keep a person breathing, reduce their pain or minimize the consequences of injury or sudden illness until help arrives. This could mean the difference between life and death.

It is a good idea to take a first aid course so that you can recognize an emergency and give basic first aid until professional help arrives. First aid is as easy as ABC: airway, breathing and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). In any situation, apply the DRSABCD Action Plan.

The DRSABCD Action Plan#

DRSABCD stands for:

• D – Danger. Always check for danger to you, any bystanders, and then the injured or ill person. Make sure you do not put yourself in danger when going to the assistance of another person.
• R – Response. Is the person conscious? Do they respond when you talk to them, touch their hands or squeeze their shoulder?
• S – Send for help. Call your local emergency number (for example 911 in the US and Canada, 112 across the EU and many countries, 999 in the UK, or 000 in Australia) . Don’t forget to answer the questions asked by the operator.
• A – Airway. Is the person’s airway clear? If the person is responding, they are conscious and their airway is clear, assess how you can help them with any injury. If the person is not responding and is unconscious, check their airway by opening their mouth and looking inside. If their mouth is clear, gently tilt their head back (by lifting their chin) and check for breathing. If the mouth is not clear, place the person on their side, open their mouth and clear the contents, then tilt the head back and check for breathing.
• B – Breathing. Check for breathing by looking for chest movements (up and down), listening with your ear near their mouth and nose, and feeling for breathing by putting your hand on the lower part of their chest. If the person is unconscious but breathing, turn them onto their side, carefully keeping their head, neck and spine in alignment. Monitor their breathing until help arrives.
• C – CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). If an adult is unconscious and not breathing, make sure they are flat on their back, then place the heel of one hand in the center of their chest and your other hand on top. Press down firmly and smoothly (compressing to one third of their chest depth) 30 times. Then give two breaths. To get the breath in, tilt their head back gently by lifting their chin, pinch their nostrils closed, place your open mouth firmly over their open mouth and blow firmly into their mouth. Keep going with 30 compressions and two breaths, at a rate of approximately five repeats in two minutes, until help arrives or another trained person takes over, or until the person responds. The method of CPR for children under eight and for babies is very similar, and you can learn these skills in a CPR course.
• D – Defibrillation. For unconscious adults who are not breathing, apply an automated external defibrillator (AED) if one is available. AEDs are found in many public places, clubs and organizations. An AED delivers an electrical shock to cancel an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) in an effort to let the normal heartbeat re-establish itself. The devices are very simple to operate: just follow the instructions and pictures on the machine and on the pad packaging, as well as the voice prompts. If the person responds to defibrillation, turn them onto their side and tilt their head to maintain their airway. Some AEDs may not be suitable for children.

Where to learn first aid and CPR#

You can attend a first aid or CPR training course with a recognized first aid training provider. There is no age limit to learning CPR; the ability to perform it is only limited by the physical capabilities of the person carrying it out. CPR is a life skill that everyone should learn. Remember that doing some CPR in an emergency is better than doing nothing.

Infection control when performing CPR#

To avoid contact with potentially infectious bodily fluids such as blood or saliva, anyone trained in resuscitation is advised to carry a resuscitation mask in their bag, wallet or first aid kit. This helps take the worry of infection out of helping someone in a life-threatening situation. These masks are available from first aid providers or pharmacies.

Maintaining a clear airway is always the priority so the person can keep breathing. You might need to roll them onto their side, but a spinal injury is always a possibility in anyone involved in an accident. There are ways of placing an injured person on their side with very little movement to their spine, which you can learn in a first aid course.

First aid for a medication or drug overdose#

Many medications and illicit drugs have dangerous and unpredictable side effects, particularly if they are mixed together or taken with alcohol. If you know or suspect that someone has overdosed on drugs or medications, do not leave them to “sleep it off.” A doctor or ambulance paramedic should assess any person who overdoses on any medication. It is very important to call your local emergency number (for example 911 in the US and Canada, 112 across the EU and many countries, 999 in the UK, or 000 in Australia) if you know or suspect an overdose, as many overdoses can be fatal.

First aid kits#

As well as knowing some basic first aid techniques, households and workplaces should have a first aid kit that meets their needs and is well organized, fully stocked and readily available at all times. The contents should be appropriate for a range of emergency situations, depending on the setting. It is a good idea to keep kits in several places, such as the home, car or office. First aid kits can be bought from a variety of providers, including pharmacies, and specialty kits are also available for specific needs.

Reducing the risk of infected wounds#

Open wounds are prone to infection. Suggestions to reduce the risk include:

• Wash your hands, if possible, before managing the wound. You could also use an antibacterial hand sanitizer.
• Put on the disposable gloves provided in your first aid kit.
• Try to avoid breathing or coughing over the wound.

Cleaning depends on the type and severity of the wound, including how heavily it is bleeding. You may just clean around the wound, then cover it with a sterile dressing, trying not to touch the dressing’s surface before applying it. Seek medical advice, or call your local emergency number (for example 911 in the US and Canada, 112 across the EU and many countries, 999 in the UK, or 000 in Australia) for an ambulance.

In an emergency, these suggestions may not be practical. If the injured person is bleeding heavily, don’t waste time, and don’t clean the wound, as this might dislodge a blood clot and make it bleed again or more. Immediately apply pressure to a heavily bleeding wound (or around the wound if there is an embedded object), and apply a bandage when the bleeding has slowed or stopped. Call your local emergency number (for example 911 in the US and Canada, 112 across the EU and many countries, 999 in the UK, or 000 in Australia) immediately.

Using bandages during first aid#

This information is general only and is not a replacement for proper first aid training. General suggestions include:

• The injured person should be sitting or lying down.
• Position yourself in front of the person on their injured side.
• Make sure the injured body part is supported in position before you start to bandage it.
• If the injured person can hold the padding in place, wrap the “tail” of the bandage one full turn around the limb to anchor it. If there is no help, wrap the tail directly around the padding over the wound.
• Bandage up the limb, making sure each turn overlaps the one before. Alternatively, bandage in a “figure eight” fashion.
• Make sure the bandage isn’t too tight, so you don’t reduce blood flow to the hands and feet. Check by pressing on a fingernail or toenail of the injured limb; if the pink color returns within a couple of seconds, the bandage isn’t affecting circulation. If the nail stays white for some time, loosen the bandage.
• Keep checking and adjusting the bandage, especially if swelling is a problem.

Making an arm sling#

After being bandaged, an injured forearm or wrist may need an arm sling to lift the arm and stop it from moving. Steps include:

1. Arrange the person’s arm in a “V” so it is held in front of their body, bent at the elbow, with the hand resting in the hollow where the collarbone meets the shoulder.
2. Open a triangular bandage and place it on top of the injured arm. The longest edge should run lengthwise along the person’s body, and the point of the bandage should be towards the elbow on the injured side. You only need enough material to tie a knot at the fingertip end.
3. Create a cradle (hammock) around the injured arm by folding the upper half of the long edge under the arm.
4. Gently gather the material together at the elbow and pull it firm without pulling the bandage off the arm. Twist the material into a long spiral.
5. Bring the long spiral around and then up the person’s back, and tie the two ends together firmly at the person’s fingertips.

Key points#

• If the person responds to defibrillation, turn them onto their side and tilt their head to maintain their airway
• Maintaining a clear airway is always the priority to make sure the person can keep breathing
• To reduce the risk of infection, wash your hands if possible before managing a wound
• If the nail remains white for some time, loosen the bandage

Where to get help#