The DRSABCD primary assessment procedure is a quick way for you to identify if a patient has any life-threatening injuries or conditions and to deal with them in order of priority.
The assessment of danger, response, airway and breathing must be done with a sense of urgency, so as not to delay CPR or first aid treatment if necessary. In a “non-complex patient” (someone who is found lying on their back with no surrounding dangers) this DRSAB assessment can often be undertaken in less than 15 seconds.
Note: The Australian guidelines for resuscitation have minor differences for children and infants. An infant is a person newly born to 12 months old, and a child is aged between 12 months and 8 years old. You should also take into account variations in body size.
