![]() Open the mouth and inspect: look for anything obstructing the airway, such as secretions or a foreign object.Listen for abnormal airway noises: stridor, snoring, gurgling.Look for signs of airway compromise: angioedema, cyanosis, see-saw breathing, use of accessory muscles.Yes: if the patient can talk, their airway is patent, and you can move on to the assessment of breathing. Airway Clinical assessment Can the patient talk? If the patient is unconscious or unresponsive, and there are no signs of life, start the basic life support (BLS) algorithm as per resuscitation guidelines. Introduce yourself to the patient, including your name and role.Īsk how the patient is feeling, as this may provide useful information about their condition. PreparationĮnsure the patient’s notes, observation chart, and prescription chart are easily accessible.Īsk for another clinical member of staff to assist you if possible. Introduce yourself to whoever has requested a review of the patient and listen carefully to their handover. You might also be interested in our premium collection of 1,000+ ready-made OSCE Stations, including a range of ABCDE assessment and emergency stations □ Initial stepsĪcute scenarios typically begin with a brief handover, including the patient’s name, age, background and the reason the review has been requested. Your assessment and management should be documented clearly in the notes however, this should not delay management.Any medications or fluids must be prescribed at the time (you may be able to delegate this to another staff member).Use local guidelines and algorithms to manage specific scenarios (e.g.Review results as they become available (e.g.If you require senior input, call for help early using an appropriate SBAR handover.All critically unwell patients should have continuous monitoring equipment attached.Make use of the team around you by delegating tasks where appropriate.If the patient loses consciousness and there are no signs of life, put out a crash call and commence CPR.looking underneath the patient’s legs or at their back for non-blanching rashes or bleeding) Remember to assess the front and back of the patient when carrying out your assessment (e.g.Treat problems as you discover them and re-assess after every intervention.General tips for applying an ABCDE approach in an emergency setting include: You may also be interested in our other ABCDE approach guides covering specific conditions. It is not intended to be relied upon for patient care.ĭownload the ABCDE approach PDF OSCE checklist, or use our interactive OSCE checklist. This guide has been created to assist healthcare students in preparing for emergency simulation sessions as part of their training. It may seem intimidating initially, but your patient will unlikely need all of the investigations or interventions mentioned in this guide. This guide provides a general guide to the ABCDE approach and can be used for any unwell patient in a simulation setting. It can help you identify life-threatening problems and structure your response in a real clinical setting. It is not a substitute for formally examining a specific system you are concerned about. The ABCDE approach aims to improve the clinical outcome of unwell patients, regardless of the definitive diagnosis. Problems are addressed as they are identified, and the patient is re-assessed regularly to monitor their response to treatment. It involves working through the following steps:Įach stage of the ABCDE approach involves clinical assessment, investigations and interventions. The ABCDE approach is used to systematically assess an acutely unwell patient.
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