Quick answer: Resuscitation is the emergency response for a person who is unresponsive and not breathing normally. In Australian first aid, follow DRSABCD: call Triple Zero (000), start CPR and use an AED as soon as it is available.
What does resuscitation mean?
Resuscitation is the broad term for actions intended to support or restore breathing and circulation during a life-threatening emergency. In a first-aid setting, it usually means recognising that the person is unresponsive and breathing abnormally, arranging emergency help and starting the basic life-support response.
What can resuscitation include?
The early response follows DRSABCD: check danger, response and breathing; send for help; open the airway; start CPR; and attach an AED as soon as it arrives. ANZCOR says occasional gasps are not normal breathing and should not delay CPR in an unresponsive person.
Is resuscitation the same as CPR?
CPR is a core part of resuscitation, but the broader word also covers recognising the emergency, calling for help, airway and breathing checks, and defibrillation. For the hands-on sequence, see Basic Life Support and CPR.
What should a bystander do?
Call Triple Zero (000) early, put the phone on speaker if it helps, and follow the operator’s instructions. Start chest compressions if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally. If you are trained and willing to give rescue breaths, include them as part of CPR. Do not wait for certainty that the heart has stopped before seeking emergency help.
When does resuscitation stop?
Continue until the person responds or starts breathing normally, a health professional takes over, you cannot physically continue, or a health professional tells you to stop. Minimise interruptions to chest compressions while following AED and emergency-operator prompts.
Related first aid terms
See CPR, Basic Life Support, Unresponsive and Respiratory Arrest.
How this page is checked
Publisher: F.A.G. Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 9 August 2026
This page is general information, not a substitute for current first aid training or instructions from emergency services.
