First Aid and Basic Life Support
What the exam tests
This domain tests immediate care for injury and illness until professional help arrives. RBSE questions often ask for the first action at a scene, CPR ratios, recovery position and handling of bleeding, burns and fractures.
Core rules
- Scene safety first: never become a second casualty. Use gloves or a barrier.
- Follow DRABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation. For an unresponsive adult who is not breathing normally, call emergency services (108 in India) and start CPR.
- CPR: chest compressions at 100–120 per minute, depth about 5–6 cm for an adult, ratio 30 compressions to 2 breaths. Use an AED as soon as available.
- Recovery position for an unresponsive person who is breathing.
- Control bleeding with direct pressure; cool burns with clean running water; immobilise suspected fractures; treat for shock by lying the person down and keeping them warm.
Worked example
An adult collapses in a corridor. Check danger, tap and shout, check breathing for no more than 10 seconds. He is not breathing normally. Call 108 or direct a bystander to call, send for the AED, and begin 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths. Continue until help arrives or he starts breathing. Do not spend time checking a pulse if you are a lay rescuer.
Traps that cost marks
- Giving food or water to an unconscious person.
- Putting ice, toothpaste or oil on a burn.
- Moving a suspected spinal-injury casualty unnecessarily.
- Stopping CPR too early or compressing too slowly.
- Failing to call for help before starting treatment.
Exam tip
Answer in order: danger, response, airway, breathing, call, CPR/AED, handover.