DRABC: The Primary Survey

The systematic approach of DRABC, also known as the Primary Survey, is strictly followed to diminish the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of the patient. This initial assessment becomes vital as it prioritizes the paramedics safety and the patient’s pre-hospital care. The Primary Survey (PS) consists of; Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing and Circulation. However, the primary survey may differ regarding the patient’s conscious level. If the patient is unresponsive, the survey becomes DRCAB, in contrast, with an alert patient, it is then DRABC (Clinical Quality & Patient Safety Unit, 2016). In this essay, the components of the Primary Survey will be discussed along with examples from the case study to demonstrate how the patient’s immediate health

The intake of oxygen is a vital necessity for humans to survive. The body constantly needs a new supply of oxygen to keep producing energy. If breathing becomes impaired, the cells are impacted resulting in damage or cell death (Grant, 2009). There are 3 main ways to assess breathing; look, listen and feel. Watch the chest for rise and fall, this will also allow the paramedic to calculate their breathing rate. Auscultating their chest will allow the paramedic to identify any unusual sounds such as wheezing etc. By placing a hand or a cheek just above the patients face, if the person is breathing, the exhalation will be felt. In Steve’s case, whilst the airway is being maintained, the paramedic will watch for rise and fall of the chest and feel for breathing against their face. It was brought to concern that Steve wasn’t breathing. Therefore, a bag valve ventilator will be sealed against the patient’s face and attached to an oxygen cylinder. Oxygen will be delivered at 15L/min. This will continue until Steve has returned to a normal skin pigment, once positive change is noticed, the bag valve masked will then be operated manually. Th patient will receive 10 breaths per minute at a volume of 10ml/kg to mock the breathing style of an adult (Gregory & Mursell, Manual of Clinical Paramdic Procedures, 2010). Once the breathing is at a stable rate, the patient will then be reassessed to address any changes in the patient’s