First Aid Acronyms: Master Essential Acronyms
First aid acronyms are simple, easy-to-remember terms used to help assess and manage medical emergencies.
These acronyms guide responders in quickly providing the right care in urgent situations, making it easier to act efficiently and effectively.
Understanding these acronyms is essential for anyone involved in first aid or emergency response.

ABC: Airway, Breathing, Circulation – A quick way to check someone’s basic life support needs by assessing if the airway is clear, the person is breathing, and if blood is flowing.
AED: Automated External Defibrillator – A portable device that gives an electric shock to restart the heart in cases of sudden cardiac arrest.
ALS: Advanced Life Support – More advanced treatments and techniques provided by healthcare professionals in life-threatening situations.
APGAR: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration – A quick test to check the health of a newborn baby after birth.
AVPU: Alert / Voice / Pain / Unresponsive – A way to check how aware a person is by seeing if they are alert, respond to voice, react to pain, or are unresponsive.
AVPU+B: Alert / Voice / Pain / Unresponsive + Behaviour – A scale to check someone’s level of awareness, response to voice and pain, and any unusual behaviour.
BLS: Basic Life Support – The first aid given in an emergency, like chest compressions and rescue breaths, to keep a person alive until medical help arrives.
BP: Blood Pressure – The force of blood against the walls of the arteries, used to check heart health.
CFR: Community First Responder – A person trained to give emergency help before paramedics arrive.
CPR: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – A life-saving technique using chest compressions and rescue breaths to help someone whose heart or breathing has stopped.
DCAP-BTLS: Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures/Penetrations, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, Swelling – A system to check for injuries, especially in trauma assessments.
DNR: Do Not Resuscitate – A decision that no effort should be made to restart a person’s heart or breathing if they stop.
DR ABCD: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Defibrillation – A simple step-by-step guide for assessing and helping someone in an emergency.
DVT: Deep Vein Thrombosis – A blood clot that forms in the deep veins, often in the legs, and can be dangerous if it moves to the lungs.
ECP: Emergency Care Practitioner – A healthcare worker trained to provide advanced emergency care.
EMT: Emergency Medical Technician – A trained person who gives emergency medical care, usually in an ambulance.
FAST: Face / Arms / Speech / Time – A method to spot the signs of a stroke, such as a drooping face, weak arms, slurred speech, and the need for urgent help.
GCS: Glasgow Coma Scale – A scale used to check a person’s level of consciousness by their eye movement, speech, and body movements.
GTN: Glyceryl Trinitrate – A medicine used to treat chest pain by improving blood flow to the heart.
ICE: In Case of Emergency – A contact number or plan to reach someone quickly in an emergency.
LoC: Level of Consciousness – A measure of how aware and awake a person is.
MI: Myocardial Infarction – A heart attack, which happens when the heart doesn’t get enough blood.
MIU: Minor Injuries Unit – A place where you can go for quick treatment of less serious injuries, like cuts or sprains.
NKDA: No Known Drug Allergies – A note to say that a person has no known allergies to medications.
PEARL: Pupils Equal and React to Light – A check to see if both pupils react properly to light, helping to spot brain problems.
PMDI: Pressurised Metered Dose Inhaler – A device used to release medicine to help someone with breathing problems like asthma.
PQRST: Provocation/Quality/Radiation/Region/Severity/Timing – A way to describe pain, helping doctors and first aiders understand it better.
PT: Patient – A person who is being treated for an illness or injury.
PRICE: Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation – A method for treating minor injuries like sprains by protecting, resting, icing, compressing, and elevating the injured area.
RICE: Rest/Ice/Compression/Elevation – A method to treat injuries like sprains by resting, applying ice, compressing, and elevating the affected area.
SCALD: Size/Cause/Age/Location/Depth – A way to assess burns by looking at how big they are, what caused them, where they are, and how deep they go.
SAMPLE: Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last oral intake, Events leading to injury/illness – A method to gather important information about the patient.
SOB: Shortness of Breath – A condition where breathing becomes difficult.
TB: Tuberculosis – A serious infection, often affecting the lungs, which can be passed on to others.
TIA: Transient Ischemic Attack – A “mini-stroke” caused by a temporary blockage in blood flow to the brain.
VF: Ventricular Fibrillation – A very dangerous irregular heart rhythm that causes the heart to stop pumping blood and needs immediate treatment.
VT: Ventricular Tachycardia – A fast and abnormal heart rhythm that can cause the heart to stop if not treated quickly.
We will continue to add more first aid acronyms here. If you’re interested in first aid courses, please feel free to send us an enquiry. Our first aid training level 3 Awards are Qualsafe certified.
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