Gibb's Cycle for Reflection: Analyzing a First Aid Emergency Response

This assignment is a reflective analysis of a first aid scenario using Gibb's Cycle. The student recounts encountering an unconscious young man and the immediate actions taken, including assessing the environment, checking for consciousness and breathing, and calling for emergency services. The student describes their feelings of shock, fear, and sympathy, acknowledging how these emotions impacted their ability to efficiently administer first aid. The evaluation section highlights both successes and challenges, particularly the impact of panic on performing compressions correctly. Analysis delves into the importance of safety, the DRSABC assessment, and the influence of the student's phobia of death. The conclusion emphasizes the effectiveness of the DRSABC assessment and the need to manage emotions during emergencies. The action plan outlines strategies to remain calm and focused in future situations, including improved pre-planning and address verification. References to relevant literature are also included to support the analysis.

Running head: GIBB’S CYCLE FOR REFLECTION 1
Gibb’s Cycle for Reflection
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date

GIBB’S CYCLE FOR REFLECTION 2
Gibb's cycle for reflection
Description
I entered the room and noticed a young man collapsed on the floor. As a student, I was
required to do everything in my position to help save the life. I was very quick in assessing the
possible dangers in the environment. I cleared everything that posed hazards of injuries to the
patient and made sure my life was not at any risk. I tried to talk to the young man as I tapped him
on the shoulders to determine whether he was conscious or not. On noting he was unconscious, I
quickly placed him the right position and checked his breathing by listening and feeling the
movement of the chest. I reached for my phone and called for ambulance services as a continued
to help the patient breath.
Feelings
It was my first time to deal with such a case, and it was not easy for me. Seeing the young
man on the floor was very shocking because I did not know what had happened. Initially, I was
afraid even to get close to him because of my fear for the dead people. The feeling of sympathy,
sadness as well as the fear of losing my friend overwhelmed me. Although I was swift to do
something to save his life, the thoughts of possible consequences in case he died never left my
mind. I was shivering all through, but I gathered the courage to do all that was supposed to me to
save him. The fear and shivering caused me to make some decisions hurriedly which would risk
the life of the patient.
Evaluation.
The process of administering first aid services was successful but not without bits of
challenges.my emotions, feelings and thoughts were the most significant hindrance tome offering

GIBB’S CYCLE FOR REFLECTION 3
effective and efficient first aid services to the patient. I had difficulty in having the compressions
done as it is supposed because there was a lot of panic within me. It recommended that one gives
that compression and two breaths at an average of five times in every two minutes. The process
should go on until the patient is handed over to some trained personnel or until the patient you
are resuscitating has responded. Though I knew all these requirements, I conducted more or
fewer compressions per minutes due to panicking.
Analysis
The situation was the worst health case I ever handled. Panic and fear I experienced were
severe. Some factors like the safety of the person offering treatment influence the entire process.
The healthcare policies require first aid to be conducted in the safest place possible (Eden, 2014)
The environment in which the treatment is undertaken should also allow the fastest respond of
the patient and it should not expose them to risk of physical injuries (Baldwin, 2013). I was very
cautious to ensure I was safe before I commenced on assisting the patient. I used the DRSABC
assessment which can be traced back when the first book on ABC- resuscitation was written
(Marshall, 2017). One of the factors that affected the whole situation was my phobia of him
dying. Fear caused me to make some mistakes that could be avoided. The rescue team took very
long time to arrive at the scene which endangered the life of the patient. The extended period
considered was due to lack of exact address to the residence (Knott, 2012).
Conclusion
In conclusion, DRSABC assessment is the best method to use in sustaining the life of the
patient who is unconscious before handing them over to the trained medical personnel. In case
one has to deal with such a situation, they should not let feelings, emotions and thoughts take

GIBB’S CYCLE FOR REFLECTION 4
control of them. Fear and panic should be avoided at all cost to give the best service to the
patient. Assumptions should also be very minimal as they may cause more effects to an
individual especially if the people helping them are not sure of what they are doing.
Action plan
In case I am faced with such a situation, the experience I have gained will help me in
addressing the issue have learnt the need and importance to avoid panicking and fear when
handling a patient. If I manage another patient, I will be very calm and relaxed to avoid the
simple mistakes that can become easily controllable. For example, I never checked the airway of
the patient before commencing the compressions which endangered the life of the young man.
Also, I will make sure that I know the actual address of the residents before calling the
ambulance services. If I am not knowledgeable enough about the area, I will get somebody else
to assist me in calling for help as I administer first aid to the patient.

GIBB’S CYCLE FOR REFLECTION 5
Reference
Baldwin, C. F. (2013). DRSABC: TRAINEE TEACHERS'EXPERIENCES WITH FIRST AID
TRAINING. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 6(4), 213.
Eden, S. (2014). Responding to emergencies. Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand, 20(11), 25.
Knott, P. (2012). ACTING IN EMERGENCIES: BLS AND SUMMONING ASSISTANCE.
Developing Healthcare Skills Through Simulation, 67.
Marshall, S. D. (2017). Helping experts and expert teams perform under duress: an agenda for
cognitive aid research. Anaesthesia, 72(3), 289-295.