You reach a collapsed patient. Your heart races. You know the steps but in that moment every second counts. This is when muscle memory and a clear framework matter most. Healthcare professionals across Australia face these situations daily and the ANZCOR Basic Life Support flowchart becomes your roadmap through the chaos.
The flowchart gives you a systematic approach to basic life support, even for ALS providers. It walks you through danger assessment, checking responsiveness, opening airways, assessing breathing, and delivering effective CPR. The algorithm follows evidence from the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation and aligns with international standards. You can download it, print it, and refer to it whenever you need.
This guide breaks down each section of the ANZCOR BLS flowchart. You will see how to recognise emergencies early, work through the DRSABCD sequence, and integrate chest compressions with rescue breaths and defibrillation. We also share where to find the official flowchart and how to apply these steps in real clinical scenarios.
What is the ANZCOR BLS flowchart
The ANZCOR basic life support flowchart is a one-page visual algorithm that guides you through every critical step of basic resuscitation. The Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation publishes and maintains this document. You can access the latest version directly from the ANZCOR website as a downloadable PDF. The flowchart condenses years of resuscitation science into a format you can reference during an emergency or print for your workplace.
“Flowcharts must be used as published by ANZCOR with no alterations.”
How the flowchart works in practice
The algorithm uses simple decision points that branch based on what you observe. Each box represents an action or assessment. Arrows show you where to go next. This design removes ambiguity when you face a cardiac arrest or medical emergency. You start at the top with danger assessment and follow the path through responsiveness checks, airway management, breathing assessment, and CPR delivery. No previous experience is required to understand the layout, though proper training ensures you can execute each step correctly under pressure.
The flowchart also aligns with international resuscitation guidelines from ILCOR (International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation). This means the steps you follow in Australia match evidence-based practices used worldwide.
Step 1. Recognise and respond early
The anzcor basic life support flowchart begins before you touch the patient. You need to recognise an emergency and act within seconds. Research shows that survival rates drop by 10% for every minute without intervention. Early recognition means you identify someone who is collapsed, unresponsive, or showing abnormal breathing patterns. This step separates good outcomes from poor ones.
“For an unresponsive adult who is not breathing normally, follow ANZCOR Basic Life Support Flowchart.”
Spotting the signs of a cardiac arrest
You walk into a room and see someone slumped in a chair. Their eyes are closed. Check for responsiveness first by calling out loudly and tapping their shoulders firmly. A person in cardiac arrest will not respond to verbal or physical stimulation. Next, observe their breathing pattern carefully. Gasping, irregular breaths, or no chest movement at all indicates cardiac arrest. Normal snoring or regular breathing means the person needs a different assessment pathway.
Your immediate response checklist
Call for help the moment you suspect cardiac arrest. Shout for assistance from nearby colleagues before you do anything else. Tell someone specific to retrieve the automated external defibrillator (AED) and contact the emergency response team. If you are alone, call emergency services first, then start CPR. Time matters more than perfect technique in these initial seconds. You need hands, equipment, and backup moving towards you while you begin life-saving interventions.
Step 2. Work through DRSABCD
The DRSABCD sequence forms the backbone of the anzcor basic life support flowchart. Each letter represents a critical assessment or action you perform in order. This mnemonic guides you through danger checks, response assessment, airway management, breathing checks, CPR delivery, and defibrillation. You cannot skip steps because each one builds on the previous assessment. The flowchart displays DRSABCD vertically down the left side, creating a clear pathway from initial assessment to definitive treatment.
Breaking down each letter
Danger means you assess the scene before approaching. Look for traffic, fire, electrical hazards, or aggressive bystanders. Your safety comes first because you cannot help anyone if you become a casualty yourself. Response requires you to check if the patient responds to voice or touch. Tap their shoulders firmly and shout “Can you hear me?” An unconscious patient needs immediate help.
Send for help the moment you confirm unresponsiveness. Delegate this task to a specific person or make the call yourself if alone. Airway means you open the patient’s airway using a head tilt and chin lift technique. Place one hand on their forehead, two fingers under the chin, and tilt the head back gently. Breathing requires you to look at the chest for movement, listen for breath sounds, and feel for air on your cheek. Spend no more than 10 seconds on this check.
“Start CPR. 30 compressions: 2 breaths.”
CPR begins immediately if breathing is absent or abnormal. Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Complete 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, then repeat. Defibrillation happens as soon as an AED arrives. Attach the pads, follow the voice prompts, and deliver shocks when advised. Continue CPR between defibrillation attempts without delay.
Common mistakes to avoid
You might rush through the danger assessment or skip the scene safety check entirely. This puts you at risk and compromises patient care. Another frequent error occurs when you spend too long checking for breathing. Ten seconds maximum is all you need. Gasping breaths confuse many rescuers because they appear normal but signal cardiac arrest. Treat any abnormal breathing pattern as absent breathing and start CPR immediately.
Step 3. Integrate CPR, airway and AED
The anzcor basic life support flowchart shows these three elements as separate actions that must work together. You deliver chest compressions, open the airway for rescue breaths, and apply defibrillation pads without stopping effective CPR for more than 10 seconds. Each component supports the others. Compressions circulate blood to vital organs, ventilations provide oxygen, and the AED restores a normal heart rhythm. You cannot perform them in isolation and expect good outcomes.
Coordinating compressions and ventilations
You place the heel of one hand in the centre of the bare chest, between the nipples. Stack your other hand on top and interlock your fingers. Lock your elbows straight and position your shoulders directly above your hands. Push hard and fast at a depth of at least 5 cm but no more than 6 cm for adults. Complete 30 compressions at a rate between 100 and 120 per minute.
“30 compressions: 2 breaths.”
After 30 compressions, open the airway using a head tilt and chin lift. Pinch the patient’s nose closed, seal your mouth over theirs, and deliver 2 rescue breaths over 1 second each. Watch for visible chest rise with each breath. Return immediately to compressions if the chest rises adequately. Continue this 30:2 cycle without interruption until the AED arrives or the patient shows signs of life.
When to apply the AED
Attach the AED as soon as someone brings it to the scene. Do not stop compressions while another person prepares the device. Expose the patient’s chest completely and wipe away any moisture or excessive hair. Place one pad on the upper right chest below the collarbone and the other on the lower left chest beside the nipple. Turn on the AED and follow the voice prompts exactly.
The device will analyze the heart rhythm and tell you whether a shock is advised. Stop compressions only during rhythm analysis and shock delivery. Press the shock button when instructed after ensuring no one touches the patient. Resume compressions immediately after the shock without checking for a pulse or breathing. The AED will prompt you to continue CPR for two minutes before analyzing again. Keep following this pattern until advanced help arrives or the patient recovers.
Additional resources for daily practice
You need the anzcor basic life support flowchart accessible whenever an emergency strikes. Download the official PDF directly from the ANZCOR website at www.anzcor.org and print multiple copies for your workplace. Place one in your staff room, emergency trolley, and clinical areas where resuscitation might occur. Check the ANZCOR site quarterly for updated versions because guidelines change based on new evidence.
“Permission to reproduce and use the flow charts is not required.”
Bookmark the algorithms page on your mobile device for instant access during shifts. Laminate printed copies to protect them from spills or damage in high-stress environments. Pair the flowchart with regular hands-on practice through accredited resuscitation courses that reinforce muscle memory and sharpen decision-making under pressure.
Next steps
You now understand how the anzcor basic life support flowchart guides you through critical resuscitation steps. Knowing the algorithm matters but hands-on practice transforms knowledge into lifesaving action under pressure. The flowchart serves as your reference during emergencies yet muscle memory from regular training ensures you deliver compressions at the correct depth, coordinate ventilations smoothly, and operate an AED without hesitation when seconds count.
Print the flowchart and place it where you work. Review each section quarterly to maintain familiarity. Most importantly, complete accredited training that lets you practice DRSABCD sequences under expert supervision with realistic scenarios. Book an Advanced Life Support course with Parasol Medical Training to reinforce these skills through simulation-based learning and earn CPD points while building clinical confidence for real emergencies.
