The DR ABC is part of the primary survey, they stand for Danger, Response, Airways, Breathing, and Circulation…or Call for help.
Our Basic Life Support Training covers standard 12 of the car certificate. In this course you will cover basic life support in adults, treating a choking child, obstructed airways in infants as well as training and record keeping.
Find out more - www.ihasco.co.uk/courses/deta...
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Course Transcript -
In an emergency, your first job is to assess the situation, establish what’s happened, who needs help, and what kind of help they need.
This is called the Primary Survey; it’s made up of 5 steps which are known by the acronym - DR ABC. They stand for Danger, Response, Airways, Breathing, and Circulation…or Call for help. These steps apply to adults, children, and infants alike with only one or two minor differences. Let’s take a look at each of the steps in turn.
Danger - Before approaching a casualty you should always check to see if there’s anything which might pose a further risk to them, to you, or to anybody else nearby. For example, are there any live electricity cables or leaking chemicals?
Response - Having checked for danger, you now need to see how responsive the casualty is - use the AVPU scale to help. Begin by seeing if they’re Alert - are they moving or talking? If not, do they respond to your Voice? Talk to them and ask if they’re OK. If they don’t respond, Place your hand on their shoulder and gently shake them - for children and infants, instead of shaking them just tap their shoulder or their foot. If they still don’t respond, assume that they are Unresponsive and move on to the next step of DR ABC.
Airways - You now need to check that the casualty is breathing properly but before you can do that you need to open their airways. Assuming it’s safe to do so, roll the casualty onto their back then tilt their head backwards by placing one hand on their forehead and two fingers from your other hand under their chin, and lift.
Breathing - Spend at least 10 seconds looking, listening, and feeling for normal breathing from the casualty - this is long enough to gauge whether their breathing is rhythmic and normal. If you’re not sure if they’re breathing properly, assume that they aren’t.
For an adult that isn’t breathing properly or has stopped breathing altogether, call the emergency services, put the phone on loudspeaker and place it nearby. This lets you speak to the operator and begin CPR at the same time.
Circulation - Now’s the time to contact the emergency services and, if it’s needed, get the casualty’s blood circulating. Ask somebody to call 999 for you while you get somebody else to fetch an Automated External Defibrillator, or AED.
If you’re by yourself and it’s possible, try to stay with the casualty at all times. Leave to call the emergency services if you absolutely need to but don’t go searching for an AED if one isn’t nearby, the ambulance will bring one with them. If the casualty is an infant or a child, then the immediate concern is that they get oxygen quickly. So, if they aren’t breathing, perform CPR for about a minute before you call 999. We’ll cover how to perform CPR a little later in the course.
If an AED arrives, switch it on and follow the visual or audio instructions it gives you. You should still be prepared to give CPR as the AED is designed to be used alongside rather than instead.
If the casualty is breathing normally, put them into the recovery position and call the emergency services. Assess them for further injuries and regularly check on their breathing, if it deteriorates, you’ll need to give CPR.