Imagine you’ve come across a person lying on the ground that appears to be in trouble. Would you know what to do? The COWS acronym is a helpful way to remember how to check for responsiveness for someone who may be injured.
What does C.O.W.S. stand for?
- Can you hear me?
- Open your eyes.
- What’s your name?
- Squeeze my hand.
Once you check the area for potential hazards (remember the three C’s and DRABCD of first aid) you can check on the victim and use the COWS acronym to see if they are responsive. Start by speaking loudly and asking them:
Can you hear me?
Open your eyes. – They may have hearing loss or can’t speak.
What’s your name? – Not only do you want to be able to address them by their name as you help, you should watch their response to look for signs of confusion.
Squeeze my hand. – They may not be able to respond verbally, so asking them to squeeze your hand allows them to communicate in a non-verbal way. If they have not been responsive up to this point, touching their hand may awaken them.
If there is still no response, gently tap or squeeze their shoulders. If none of these prompts work, and physically touching the victim does not cause a reaction, then they are likely unconscious. You can then follow the ABCs of first aid to determine if the person needs CPR.
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