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.
