ABCDE assessment framework
The universal first-response checklist for a patient in trouble.
What it is
About ABCDE assessment framework
ABCDE gives clinicians and paramedics a fixed, memorised order for assessing a patient — checking and treating airway obstruction, breathing adequacy, circulatory status, neurological disability and exposure to environmental factors — before moving to full diagnosis. It's taught from first-aid level through advanced resuscitation courses because a consistent sequence prevents life-threatening problems being missed under pressure.
What you can do with it
Capabilities
Rapidly triage a deteriorating or critically unwell patient in a fixed order
Identify and treat immediately life-threatening airway, breathing and circulation problems first
Standardise handover language between clinicians across settings
Support structured documentation of an emergency assessment
Underpin advanced courses like ALS, ATLS and APLS
How to learn it
Learning Resources
Resuscitation Council UK's ALS (Advanced Life Support) course and manual
NHS and university clinical skills training and simulation sessions
Free open-access resources like Geeky Medics and Life in the Fast Lane
Repeated simulated-patient practice under supervision during clinical placements
Pro Tip
Treat it as a loop, not a line — if a patient deteriorates again after moving to D, go back and re-run A-B-C rather than continuing forward, since the framework is designed to be re-entrant.
Skills that use this tool
Roles that use this tool