How to Provide Basic Life Support (BLS): An Introduction to First Aid, DRSABCD, and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Competency
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Basic life support is all it takes to keep someone alive in an emergency. Every year in Australia, around 26,000 people experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Only about 12% of those treated by ambulance survive to the hospital. Basic life support is the difference.
When bystanders step up to help before paramedics arrive, survival rates can more than double. The difference between life and death often comes down to whether someone nearby knows what to do in those critical first minutes. You do not need to be a healthcare professional to save a life. With the right knowledge and skills, ordinary people can perform extraordinary acts.
What is Basic Life Support?
Basic life support refers to a framework of skills, techniques, and knowledge used to respond to life-threatening emergencies. The goal of basic life support is literally that, to support a life; to keep someone alive until professional medical help and emergency services can arrive on the scene.
Basic life support encompasses the actions needed to recognise an emergency. It includes recognising the signs of cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest, calling emergency services, managing choking and airway obstructions, coordinating with other rescuers, and providing ongoing casualty management. Basic life support relies on techniques that require minimal equipment and can be performed almost anywhere by both healthcare providers and laypersons with appropriate training.
The DRSABCD Protocol
The DRSABCD protocol is the backbone of basic life support. It outlines the steps a person needs to take to assess an emergency scene, figure out what to do, and what actions they need to take in the most serious of situations where someone has stopped breathing or their heart has stopped beating.
D stands for Danger
Before approaching any casualty, check for hazards that could harm you. This might include traffic, electrical dangers, fire, or unstable structures. A rescuer who becomes a casualty themselves cannot help anyone. If it is unsafe, skip to the S in DRSABCD, or move the victim away from the danger if it is safe to do so.
R stands for Response
Check if the person is responsive. Use the “talk and touch” method by speaking loudly and asking simple questions like “can you hear me?” while firmly squeezing their shoulders. No response means the person is unconscious.
S stands for Send for Help
Call emergency services immediately by dialling 000. If others are present, have someone else to make the call while you continue assessing the casualty.
A stands for Airway
Open the person’s airway by tilting their head back and lifting the chin. Check for any obstructions like food, vomit, or loose teeth, and clear them from their mouth with your fingers. Never perform a blind sweep as this can push any obstructions even deeper.
B stands for Breathing
Look for chest movement, listen for breathing sounds, and feel for air against your cheek. Normal breathing means the person should be placed in the recovery position and monitored. Abnormal breathing or no breathing at all means you must begin CPR immediately.
C stands for CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation combines chest compressions and ventilations to keep blood circulating when someone’s heart stops. If someone needs CPR, cycle through chest compressions, rescue breaths, and AED use if necessary, until you are physically unable to continue, the person recovers, or help arrives to take over.
D stands for Defibrillation.
If someone’s heart has stopped beating you will need to use an automated external defibrillator as part of the cycle of CPR. AEDs will analyse the heart rhythm and advise whether a shock is needed.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care are the single most important actions a bystander can take during cardiac arrest. CPR keeps oxygen-rich blood flowing to the brain and vital organs, buying precious time until defibrillation or advanced medical care becomes available.
Chest Compressions
To perform CPR, place the heel of one hand on the centre of the chest on the lower half of the breastbone. Put your other hand on top and interlock your fingers. Position yourself directly over the patient with your arms straight, using your body weight to push down hard and fast, about 5cm deep, then allow the chest to fully recoil. Repeat 30 chest compressions at a rate of 1 to 2 compressions every second.
Rescue Breaths
After 30 compressions, tilt the person’s head back to open their airway. Pinch their nose closed, seal your mouth over theirs, and exhale. You should see their chest rise, if not either their head is not tilted correctly or there are still obstructions. Deliver two rescue breaths before either returning to chest compressions or use of an AED if their heart is not beating normally.
Infant CPR
For infant CPR, the same principles apply with some modifications. Compression depth should be about one-third of the chest depth. Rescue breaths should be gentle puffs of air instead of full breaths, and a head tilt is not required for children under the age of one as their airways are still developing.
Getting Certified in Basic Life support
A basic life support course transforms ordinary people into first responders who can maintain someone’s life until professional help arrives. Whether you are a healthcare professional, a workplace health and safety officer, or simply someone who wants to be prepared for emergencies, a basic life support certification gives you the skills and knowledge required to act when it matters most.
Do not wait for an emergency to wish you had gotten training. First aid courses make it easier than ever to gain these essential life support skills. The life you save could be a colleague, a stranger, or someone you love.
FAQs
What is the Chain of Survival?
The chain of survival is the series of actions needed to maximise a person’s chance of survival following cardiac arrest. It is effectively just another way to say DRSABCD.
What Separates BLS from Advanced Life Support?
Advanced life support uses complicated medical procedures that basic life support does not. Examples include intravenous drug administration, advanced airway management with endotracheal tubes, and cardiac rhythm interpretation on monitors.
Can Anyone Use an Automated External Defibrillator?
Automated external defibrillators are designed to be used by people with minimal or no formal training. By using voice prompts and clear instructional images, the device guides users through each step, analyses the heart rhythm automatically, and will only deliver a shock if one is medically appropriate.
