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First Aid Crib Sheet - Mnemonics
The content of First Aid Courses keep changing, please don't tell me if some mnemonic has been updated without a good reason. However,
if there is a "genuine" reason for the change (e.g. Awareness of Agaonal Breathing in CPR,) I would welcome an email.Someof these Mnemonics are intended for medical experts and not relevant unless you are trained and some duplicate others.
Mnemonic | Meaning | Explanation |
ABBBBB | Assess Breathing Bleeding Breaks Burns Body_temp | |
ACT | Access Communicate Treat |   |
ASH ICE | Age Sex History Injuries Conciousness(level_of/any_changes) Everything_else | What to tell medics |
AVPU | Alert Voice(responds_to) Pain(can_it_be_felt) Unresponsive | Levels of conciousness |
CASMEET | Callsign Age Sex History Injuries/Illness Condition ETA | |
CHALETS | Casualties(number_and_condition) Hazards Access(how_to_get_to_scene) Location Emergency_Services(what_is_needed) Type(of_incident) Safety(any_dangers) | |
CHAT | Chief_complaint History Allergies Treatment | |
DOTS | Deformity Open_wound Tenderness Swelling | Head to toe survey |
Drs ABC | Danger(check_for) Response(check_for) Airway Breathing Circulation Disability Examination Further_treatmet Go_to_hospital | Ambulance treatment |
Dr ABCDEFG | Danger(check_for) Response(check_for) Shout(call_ambulance) Airway Breathing Circulation | What to do if you find an unconcious casualty |
FISH SHAPED | Fainting Infantile_Convulsions Shock Head_injury Stroke Heart_attack Asphyxia(breathing_problem) Poisons Epilepsy Diabeties | Causes of Unconciousness |
HEAD | Head Examination Action Documentation | |
LIP DUST | Loss(of_movement) Irregularity Pain Deformity Unnatural(position/movement) Swelling Tenderness | Warnings to suspect a broken bone |
Look Listen Feel | Look(for_chest_movement) Listen(at_mouth) Feel(can_you_feal_breath) | Is casualty breathing See note on Agonal Breathing |
PEARL | Pupils Equal_and Reactive_to Light | |
PEEP | Position Exposure Elevate(the_bleeding_limb) Pressure | Dealing with bleeding |
PLASTIC | Pain Loss(of_movement) Angle(bones_displaced) Swelling Tenderness Irregularity Crepitis | Warnings to suspect a broken bone |
PQRSTU | Provoke Quality(Ache/sharp/pulsing) Radiating Severity(does_this_change?) Timing Usual(Does_casualty_think_this_is_normal) | Recording casualties perception of pain |
REED | Rest Expose Elevate Direct(pressure) | Severe Bleeding |
RICE | Rest Ice Compression Elevation | Sprains and Strains |
SAMPLE | Signs(and_Symptoms) Allergies Medication Previous(Medical_History) Last(When_casualty_last_ate/drank) Event(history) | |
SCALD | Size Cause Age Location Depth |
Agonal Breathing - It is possible for an unconcious casualty to make noises similar to gasping without breathing. Not breathing will cause death, with CPR they have a chance! (There is an internet video clip in circulation showing successful CPR on an Agonal patient)
CPR - Adult who has drowned = 5 rescue breaths then repeat (30 chest compressions + 2 rescue breaths) until help arrives
CPR - Adult who did not drown = repeat (30 chest compressions + 2 rescue breaths) until help arrives
CPR - Child = 5 rescue breaths then repeat (30 chest compressions + 2 rescue breaths) until help arrives
 
CPR - Death due to Chemical Poisoning - Consider your own safety, if chemicals killed the casualty, they may also kill you!
These notes are not intended as First Aid advice - they are purely some mnemonics that could be both outdated and wrong - if you want to know more consider a course or first-aid sites provided by medical experts.
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