Exam Pass Notes

Use these notes to revise the practical points from the course. In an emergency the pharmacy team should begin a safe first response rather than waiting for a perfect diagnosis.

The basic emergency spine

• Notice sudden change: pallor, confusion, collapse, rash, breathing difficulty, weakness, fitting, or unusual drowsiness should all prompt assessment.
• Use ABCDE: airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure.
• Call 999 early: put the call on speakerphone if possible so you can continue care and coordinate the team.
• Treat within competence: use only medicines and equipment you are trained and locally authorised to use.
• Monitor and hand over clearly: record times, symptoms, treatments and any deterioration to give a concise handover to emergency services.

Emergency patterns to remember

• Fainting: lay the person flat and raise their legs. Monitor recovery and call 999 if recovery is delayed or red flags develop.
• Choking: encourage coughing; if ineffective give 5 back blows then 5 abdominal thrusts. Call 999 if the airway remains obstructed.
• Anaphylaxis: airway, breathing or circulation symptoms after likely allergen exposure require calling 999, placing the patient in a safe position and giving intramuscular adrenaline promptly if trained and equipped.
• Asthma: help the person sit upright and use a reliever inhaler with a spacer if available. Call 999 early if the attack is severe or not improving with inhaled reliever.
• Seizure: protect the person from injury; do not restrain or put anything in the mouth. Time the seizure and use the recovery position once convulsions stop and breathing is normal.
• Stroke: use FAST and call 999 immediately, even if symptoms improve.
• Hypoglycaemia: give oral glucose only if the person is awake and can swallow safely. Do not give oral sugar if they are unresponsive.
• Opioid overdose: suspect overdose with very slow breathing, marked drowsiness or very small pupils. Call 999, start CPR if needed, and give naloxone if trained and authorised.

Pharmacy-specific readiness includes knowing where the emergency kit is, who calls 999, who meets the ambulance crew, and what local SOPs require for anaphylaxis packs, oxygen, emergency inhalers or naloxone.