Primary Assessment Basics
This is the first impression you form when approaching a patient.
What is a general impression?
Ensuring this is open and clear is the first step in the ABC's.
What is the airway?
After the primary assessment, EMS must decide this about the patient.
What is transport priority?
This exam checks the patient from head to toe for injuries.
What is a rapid physical exam?
Pulse, respirations, and blood pressure are examples of these.
What are vital signs?
Checking is the patient is awake, alert, or responsive is called this:
What is assessing mental status?
This part of the ABC's checks if the patient is breathing adequately.
What is breathing?
A patient with life-threatening injuries is considered this type of priority.
What is high priority?
This acronym helps gather patient history: S/S, Allergies, Medications, Past History, Last intake, Events.
What is SAMPLE?
Skin signs and pupil response are additional indicators of this.
What is patient condition?
The primary assessment is designed to find and treat these:
What are immediate life threats?
Severe, uncontrolled bleeding is assessed under this part of the ABC's.
What is circulation?
A patient with minor injuries and stable condition is considered this type of priority.
What is low priority?
For stable patients, the secondary assessment focuses on this.
What is the specific injury or complaint?
All findings from the secondary assessment should be recorded here.
What is the patient care report?
This step determines if a patient is high or low priority for transport.
What is deciding transport priority?
Assisted ventilations are an intervention for problems with this.
What is breathing?
Transport decisions are based on this overall evaluation of the patient.
What is the primary assessment?
They type of assessment is performed after life threats are managed.
What is the secondary assessment?
Vital signs should be taken at this time during the assessment process.
What is during the secondary assessment?
Life threats discovered during the primary assessment must be handled at this time.
What is immediately?
Controlling major bleeding is part of this ABC step.
What is circulation?
This factor often determines whether rapid transport.
What is the presence of life threats?
The part of the secondary assessment involves checking each body area systematically.
What is the head-to-toe exam?
Documentation provides both quality assurance and this type of protection.
What is legal protection?