Emergencies! Importance of knowing your DRSABCD!

Do you have First Aid training? Read just HOW many emergencies I have had to attend to and find out WHY every parent and educator should have First Aid training.

Contents hide

1 DRSABCD Meaning?

2 Why get First Aid training?

3 Am I obligated to help someone, if I have First Aid training?

4 So how many emergencies have I attended to?

5 First Aid Kits

6 Resources:

DRSABCD Meaning?

These are the steps to follow if you find yourself in an emergency situation where a person is seriously sick or injured. My tips DO NOT replace proper first aid training but hopefully it will improve somebody’s knowledge and encourage some people to go and get their First Aid certificate.

Emergencies- Why every parent and educator should know their DRSABCD — CPR knowledge saves lives

The following is a guide of what D R S A B C D means and what should be done for each of these steps;

D – Danger – Assess the danger surrounding yourself and the casualty. Is it safe to approach the casualty? Does obvious danger need to be removed?

R – Response – Is there a response from the casualty? If they are responsive and conscious, they should probably be placed in the recovery position. If there is no response from them at all, then SEND for help (next step)

S – Send for Help – Call ‘000’. Ask for an Ambulance (and Police and/or Fire Brigade if necessary). If you have bystanders, ask someone else to call ‘000’.

A – Airways – Check to see the Airways are clear. Try clearing the mouth out with a spoon, or pen or stick, so as to not put your fingers at risk in their mouth.

B – Breathing – Are they breathing? Look, listen and feel. If yes, place them in the recovery position. If no, start next step, Compressions.

C – Compressions – 30 compressions and 2 breaths. Compress to 1/3 the depth of the chest, not worrying about breaking ribs. (It is best you are trained to do this step as there are differences for children, and positioning is important).

D – Defribillator – Use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) if it is available. Turn it on, attach pads as shown in pics and follow directions stated in AED.

You can find further info on DRSABCD here at Health Direct.gov.au

Why get First Aid training?

As an Early Childhood Educator and Manager, it is a requirement of my job that I keep my First Aid training up to date. I also update my CPR training annually.

I have just completed my First Aid training again and I think it is vital information for any parent and educator to know.

I know many people who have had to employ their First Aid knowledge, particularly CPR in many varied occasions and settings.

I know there are many parents and educators out there who would also keep their First Aid training up to date but there are also many people who would feel helpless if someone was to collapse in front of them, requiring CPR.

There are so many times children injure themselves, have accidents while they are learning to coordinate their motor skills, get themselves into dangerous situations, ingest things they shouldn’t etc etc etc.

If you are looking to do a First Aid course that is all online, is only a 2 hour commitment and covers the 10 most common emergencies involving children, you could sign up to the Kids First Aid online course HERE. If you use the promo code TEACHINGBRAVE you can get the course for $59, rather than the usual asking price of $69.

Am I obligated to help someone, if I have First Aid training?

Well, this depends. If you are employed in a position such as mine (Child Care Director and Early Childhood Teacher) and you have a First Aid certificate, you are usually obligated as part of your job description and Code of Conduct to help a child in your care. Similar would apply for nurses, aged care workers, teachers etc. See the Safe Work Australia Code of Practice for First Aid in the Workplace here.

If however, you are out on the street and a stranger next to you collapses and becomes unconscious, you are under no obligation to help that person but once you do start helping, you have a Duty of Care to use your First Aid knowledge to the best of your ability.

So how many emergencies have I attended to?

As an early childhood teacher and parent, I have had to;

Call an ambulance when a child bumped their head (very softly) and became unconscious with concussion
Call ‘000’ and request for Fire, Ambulance and Police after a head on collision outside my workplace resulting in injuries, spilled petrol and a very dangerous road situation (Road Safety education for children is SO important)
Coach my ex over the phone on how to administer an Epipen to my screaming child after an Anaphylactic attack
Call an ambulance after my son Andy fell onto his head on concrete at 3 years old, and became temporarily blind with concussion
Call an ambulance and monitor a young baby having a febrile convulsion due to a fever of 40deg +
Call an ambulance after a co worker received stressful news, went into shock and collapsed
Call Police after a man made a phone call, threatening the safety of the children at my centre, resulting in a lockdown
Rush my son to hospital with a very high fever as an 8 week old baby
Call an ambulance after a child broke their arm in my centre
Call for help when my ex boyfriend got a leg cramp in deep water, started going under and pushed me under water repeatedly in a panic
Call Fire Brigade after a severe gas leak outside our centre resulting in a lockdown and children feeling sick
Rush my son to hospital with non-stop vomiting caused from a head injury to his temple

First Aid knowledge saves lives.

First Aid Kits

Personally, I always make sure I have a fully stocked First Aid kit at home, as well as in my car. There are many places you can buy First Aid Kits and they are well worth the money. I have had to use my kits numerous times.

I am also responsible for re-stocking the First Aid kits in my workplace and so I am familiar with the items.

Do you have First Aid training? How many times have you had to employ your First Aid training? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from you!