Everyone who has had first aid lessons will have heard of the phrase Doctor ABC...

Ive come accross many variations from people, forums and the latest addition from my Emergency nursing study book (that is the translated title). This is where it stands now... Too long to use effectively in an emergency for the first aider and IMO some factors overlap. Not practical but fun to write. Here it is:

D- dangers (to yourself and the patient)
r- response (AVPU scale: alert, verbal, pain, unresponsive to any stimulus)

A- airway
B- breathing
C- circulation
C- cervical vertebrae (the bones in your neck)
D- disability (control of neurolgical malfunction)
D- degree of injuries
E- exposure
E- evacuation

What do you think?


On another note I came across this site:
http://www.hostingphpbb.com/forum/index.php?mforum=escape292
All about skills and knowledge in the outdoors... A good addition to this site IMHO (no worries I dont own the site). Check it out.

Well just to reposition some items a bit...

You start with scene safety and body substance insulation (after all you only need one patient)

Than you would establish AVPU and based on the mechanism of injury or nature of illness apply c-spine precautions sometimes even prior to AVPU.

Need for other help.

Chief Complaint

Look for life threats (ex. excessive bleeding, long bone fractures, airway compromise)

A - Airway
Quick rate, can pt maintain the airway, need for suction or airway adjunct (opa or npa)

B - Breathing
Inspect, palpate, listen, seal open chest wounds, stabilize rib injuries and provide oxygen if available

C - Circulation
Check voids for hidden bleeding, radial pulses and skin color temperature and condition.

Treatment of life threats. Minor injuries can wait.

Decision: stay or evacuate.

Physical Exam will vary by Chief Complaint.


DR ABC is a good guidline but personally I disagree with order of things but that's only because my priorities on the street are a bit different.

Also know as the GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale, Glasgow Coma Score)

Best Eye Response. (4)

1 No eye opening.
2 Eye opening to pain.
3 Eye opening to verbal command.
4 Eyes open spontaneously.



Best Verbal Response. (5)

1 No verbal response
2 Incomprehensible sounds.
3 Inappropriate words.
4 Confused
5 Orientated


Best Motor Response. (6)


1 No motor response.
2 Extension to pain.
3 Flexion to pain.
4 Withdrawal from pain.
5 Localising pain.
6 Obeys Commands.


Look at trauma.org . It's really interesting.

Funny thing is that wooden table is going to have a GCS of 3... There is also Trauma scale for serious trauma jobs and APGAR scale for newborns... Good thing to know but quite useless in first aid and hard to remember.