PASS First Aid Training
PASS is an acronym used in the medical (Clinical and First Aid) environment for patient handovers.
The Medical acronym PASS is used to describe these four steps.
A first aid patient handover is a structured process for transferring a patient's essential information and care responsibility to a more advanced medical professional, such as paramedics or hospital staff, ensuring continuity and safety.
The PASS first aid handover acronym helps us meet the key principles for effective clinical handover include: be Focused, Concise, Complete, Organised, and Timely.
Effective handover principles
- Be Concise and Stick to Essentials: Focus on information that the receiving team needs for immediate decisions.
- Be Calm and Clear: Speak in a calm, steady voice, avoiding jargon.
- Confirm Understanding: After the handover, ask the receiving team if they have any questions to ensure they understand everything.
- Use a Checklist: A structured checklist can help ensure all critical information is covered, especially in stressful situations.
- Physical Examination: As you hand over, physically show the receiving party any key aspects, like dressings or pressure areas on the patient's skin.
- Continuity of Care: The primary goal is to ensure the patient receives continuous and effective care.
PASS First Aid Handover
- Patient Summary - Provide a concise overview of the patient, including their name, diagnosis, background, current condition, and key treatment
- Action List - Detail any pending tasks, orders, or interventions that need to be completed, including the responsible party and deadline
- Situational Awareness and Contingency Planning - Discuss potential challenges or changes that might occur and outline the steps to manage them
- Show Understanding - The receiving Paramedic should summarise and repeat the information to demonstrate accurate understanding of the information
IMIST-AMBO - A PASS First Aid alternative
- I is for identification of the patient.
- M is for mechanism of Injury. How did they get injured?
- I is for injuries or information.
- S is for signs. Abnormal Signs or Symptoms.
- T stands for treatment and trends.
- A is for allergies.
- M is for medications.
- B stands for background.
- O is for other information.
PASS First Aid Safety
- When providing First Aid assess the scene to ensure it is safe before you provide help.
- Wear PPE.
- Follow the DRSABCD protocol.
- Call emergency services immediately - every second counts.
