St John Ambulance state manager clinical and risk Andrew North explains the DRSABCD first aid action plan as the St John Drive-a-thon stops off in Wagga.
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00:00So the first thing we do is check for danger, to make sure there's no danger anywhere in our facility.
00:05Obviously it's smelling for gas or anything else.
00:07Once we understand it's safe, we want to check the response, that's a DR response.
00:11Easiest way is to come up the side and just touch the corner of their eye, that's the easiest way.
00:15There's multiple ways, you can pinch trapezius, but simple way is that.
00:18No response with that, we need help to come, so we want to be calling 000.
00:22But one of the things for community is really understand who's local in your local area, who can come and help.
00:28So here at Bunnings, defibrillator inside the shop, call the shop manager, get their first aiders to come out and help us.
00:34So you're actually getting local people to come and help you, whilst we're waiting for the ambulance service.
00:39Help's coming, awesome.
00:40So DRS, A is airway, so let's just check the airway, just open it up and have a look inside.
00:45If we can see something foreign in there that shouldn't be there, half a Krispy Kreme donut,
00:49we'll roll on their side and actually scoop that foreign matter out and let fluids drain.
00:55Once we've checked the airway's open, we're going to check for breathing.
00:58So feel for rise and fall of the chest, we can feel for air entry, I can listen also for noisy breathing.
01:05And I want to also look to see what skin colour it is.
01:08Now if the person's got quite dark skin colour, I can simply just peel the lip down and look at the gum line to see,
01:14and that should be pink, if it's pale or blue, that's not good.
01:17If I can't tell if they're breathing and it takes about 10 seconds, I'm going to go straight into CPR.
01:23So that's what the C is, D-R-S-A-B-C, is just compression.
01:27I'm going to use the palm heel on the centre of their sternum on the lower half, so basically there.
01:32Put my hand there, kneel close to my patient, put your hand where it's comfortable, nice straight arm,
01:38and I'm going to push, making sure the chest comes all the way up every time.
01:43And I'm going to push about one third of that depth, and I'm going to push at a rate of about 110 a minute.
01:51And I'll just continually do that.
01:53Once I have someone come along with a defibrillator, I would have them operate the defibrillator whilst compressions continue,
02:00so you don't want to stop compressions.
02:02Alright, so compressions are continuing, get your defibrillator, open it up, it'll turn on, get your pads out,
02:15we'll cut the clothing off, compressions are still going at this stage.
02:19I'll prepare the chest by shaving if it's required.
02:24One pad will always go at the top right.
02:30The second pad will always go on the lower left.
02:39Now, I'll just turn that off so I can talk.
02:44Once that's on, the defibrillator will then say, do not touch patient, analysing the heart rhythm.
02:49Now, depending on the brand, that can take nine seconds or a little bit longer.
02:53It'll then decide if it's going to charge for a shock, and you'll either manually push a button or automatically,
02:59depending on the model you're using.
03:01Once that shock's delivered, the machine will now say it's safe to touch the patient, and we continue to compress.
03:08This particular model, the G5, has a puck that you'll push on, and the machine itself will give you feedback
03:15as to the quality of your compressions.
03:17We've actually been shown to improve better outcomes, we've been doing better compressions.
03:24In two minutes, the machine will then say, analysing heart rhythm, don't touch the patient, or words to that effect.
03:32We would stop, it would do that.
03:35I would change with another rescuer at this time, and they would take over compressions.
03:39And we just continue that cycle until the ambulance turns up, and we hand over care to the ambulance.
03:45And that's it.