DRSABCD

The DRSABCD Action Plan is a vital guide to treating a patient in a life-threatening

condition. It is an action plan used extensively by St John Ambulance DRSABCD,
Surf Life Saving and by many schools, university, sporting clubs, corporate office
and on-site workplaces.

The action plan is extensively taught as part of Surf Life Saving Advanced
Resuscitation program because incidents such as downings can cause cardiac
arrest. There are estimates of over 30,000 incidents of cardiac arrests per year in
Australia. It is calculated that every minute of delay will reduce the chances of
survival by 10%. Essentially there is only a 10-minute window to deal with the
incident. Receiving the proper training, practice and being fully prepared is
essential given the short time frame.

Defibrillator Training for DRSABCD

Cardiac Defibrillators offers defibrillation training units, so participants of

advanced resuscitation techniques can receive end-to-end training of the
DRSABCD Action plan. It is perfectly safe to use since the unit does not provide
defibrillation therapy, so it is perfect for hands-on training for the defibrillator
section of the DRSABCD action program. The defibrillator trainer unit simulates
different heart rhythms and gives students the opportunity to apply defibrillation
pads, practice AED use, and perform CPR compression on a manikin. The clear,
instructive voice and metronome guide the user through the rescue scenario.
Reusable training pads enable instructors to provide training for adult and
paediatric rescues.

Other Defibrillator Training Resources

We have a range of training resources for our defibrillators. View all our resources
here. You can download our DRSABCD infographic to hang on the wall or place in
the emergency response manual at work.

DRSABCD is an acronym/mnemonic taught on first aid courses to help you have an

action plan on how to respond in a medical emergency. It >stands for Danger,
Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
and Defibrillation. If you haven’t already, make sure you do a CPR course – it could
mean the vital difference between life and death. Knowing how to respond to the
DRSABCD way means you can help keep a person breathing, reduce their pain or
help them survive until an ambulance arrives.

Danger: If you find yourself in an emergency situation, you need to ascertain how
dangerous it is to you, any bystanders and the injured/ ill person before you try to
help. Do not put yourself in harm’s way when going to the assistance of another
person.

Response: Check to see if the person is conscious. Do they respond when you talk
to them, touch their hands or squeeze their shoulder? Communicate by talking to
them loudly and gently shake their shoulders (not vigorously). If you do not get a
response, the person is unconscious.

Send for help: If you realise that the situation calls for emergency services, your
first action should be to send/shout/summon for help. In Australia, the number
for all emergency services is triple zero. Dial 000 and answer the questions asked
by the operator. Bystanders should leave a clear path/ space around the patient so
that emergency services can find their way quickly.   

Airway: Can the person breathe? Is the person’s airway clear? An unconscious
patient is at risk of airway obstruction due to the tongue falling back. Perform a
head tilt-chin lift to open their airway, this can be achieved by opening their
mouth and having a look inside. If the person’s mouth is clear, tilt their head
gently back (by lifting their chin) and check for breathing. If the person’s mouth is
not clear, place the person on their side, open their mouth and clear any
obstructions, then tilt the head back and check for breathing.   

Breathing: Check for breathing by looking for chest movements (up and down).
Listen by putting your ear near to their mouth and nose. Feel 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 ensuring that you keep their
head, neck, and spine in alignment. Monitor their breathing until you hand over to
the ambulance officers.

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation): If the person is unconscious and not

breathing, make sure they are flat on their back and then place the heel of one
hand in the centre of the person’s chest and your other hand on top. Press down
firmly, compressing to one-third of the person’s chest depth. Do this 30 times.
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 the person’s
open mouth and blow firmly into their mouth. Keep going with the 30
compressions and two breaths at the speed of approximately five repeats in two
minutes until you hand over to the arriving ambulance officers or another trained
person, or until the person you are resuscitating responds. The method for CPR for
children under eight years old is similar.   

Defibrillator: For an unconscious person who is not breathing, apply an automated

external defibrillator (AED), if one is available. Many public places, clubs, and
organisations have one, so ask for it. An AED is a machine that delivers an
electrical shock to cancel any irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)and get the normal
heartbeat to re-establish itself. Follow the instructions and voice prompts. If the
person responds to defibrillation, turn them onto their side and tilt their head to
maintain their airway. If the patient is a child, make sure the AED is suitable to use
on a minor.