Primary Assessment Drill: Responsive and Breathing?
In groups of three, one student plays a casualty following a secret card while another does the primary assessment: responsiveness, opening the airway and checking breathing for ten seconds. Students practice deciding in seconds what comes next: recovery position, CPR or monitoring.
How to play
- Demo (3 min): the teacher models the sequence: shout and tap the shoulders, open the airway with a head tilt-chin lift and look, listen and feel for ten seconds.
- Form groups of three with a mat: casualty, rescuer and observer with a stopwatch.
- The casualty reads a scenario card without showing it: responsive, unresponsive and breathing, or unresponsive and not breathing (faking no chest movement).
- The rescuer assesses and states the decision out loud; the observer times it and makes sure no step is skipped.
- Rotate roles every 2 minutes; each student plays each role at least twice in about 12 minutes.
- Debrief (5 min): discuss common mistakes, such as taking longer than ten seconds or moving the neck without reason, and replay one case in front of the class.
Rules
- The casualty fakes it and never holds their breath longer than is comfortable.
- Head tilt-chin lift is done gently, never forcing the neck.
- The observer stops the action if anyone feels uncomfortable.
- Always state the final decision out loud.
Variations
Easier
Use only two card types: responsive or unresponsive and breathing.
Standard
Three case types with a timed ten-second breathing check.
Harder
Add cases with a suspected neck injury, where students open the airway with a jaw thrust instead of tilting the head.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student assesses from a wheelchair with the casualty seated on a reclined bench.
- Visual impairment: the rescuer focuses on listening and feeling for breath while the observer describes chest movement.
- Advanced students: the rescuer also dictates the 911 call to the observer.
Learning goals
- Perform an orderly primary assessment of a casualty.
- Choose the right response based on responsiveness and breathing.
- Communicate the decision clearly to the rest of the team.
Equipment for a class of 25
- scenario cards: 27
- mats: 9
- stopwatch: 9
Teacher tip
Make sure nobody shakes or slaps the casualty to check responsiveness: a loud voice and a shoulder tap are enough. Shuffle the cards well so the case can't be guessed.
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