Chapter 12: The Primary Assessment
Topic
● The Primary Assessment
The Primary Assessment
Approach to the Primary Assessment
● Focus on life threats
● Airway (A), breathing (B), circulation ©
● May vary depending on:
○ Patient’s condition
○ How many EMT’s are on the scene
○ Other priorities you determine as you assess patient
● Order A-B-C depends on initial impression of patient
● Sequence will vary
○ A-B-C if patient has signs of life
○ C-A-B if patient appears lifeless, no pulse
○ Immediate interventions may be needed
Decision Making in the Primary Assessment
● Any vomit in the airway that enters the lungs is very serious and often fatal
● Exsanguinating bleeding must be stopped immediately
● Breathing and circulation are obviously vital for life. Make sure your patient is breathing
and breathing adequately to support life
● If immediate interventions such as bleeding control or CPR are not required, shift into an
important but less urgent mode in which you will administer oxygen appropriate for the
patient’s condition and evaluate for shock
Performing the Primary Assessment
● Forming a general impression
● Assessing mental status
● Assessing airway
● Assessing breathing
● Assessing circulation
● Determining patient priority
Form a General Impression
● General impression
○ Assess environment and patient’s chief complaint and appearance
○ Helps determine patient severity
○ Helps set priorities for care and transport
Beginning Spinal Motion Restriction
● Treat the patient’s life-threatening conditions while not aggravating a potential spine
injury
Topic
● The Primary Assessment
The Primary Assessment
Approach to the Primary Assessment
● Focus on life threats
● Airway (A), breathing (B), circulation ©
● May vary depending on:
○ Patient’s condition
○ How many EMT’s are on the scene
○ Other priorities you determine as you assess patient
● Order A-B-C depends on initial impression of patient
● Sequence will vary
○ A-B-C if patient has signs of life
○ C-A-B if patient appears lifeless, no pulse
○ Immediate interventions may be needed
Decision Making in the Primary Assessment
● Any vomit in the airway that enters the lungs is very serious and often fatal
● Exsanguinating bleeding must be stopped immediately
● Breathing and circulation are obviously vital for life. Make sure your patient is breathing
and breathing adequately to support life
● If immediate interventions such as bleeding control or CPR are not required, shift into an
important but less urgent mode in which you will administer oxygen appropriate for the
patient’s condition and evaluate for shock
Performing the Primary Assessment
● Forming a general impression
● Assessing mental status
● Assessing airway
● Assessing breathing
● Assessing circulation
● Determining patient priority
Form a General Impression
● General impression
○ Assess environment and patient’s chief complaint and appearance
○ Helps determine patient severity
○ Helps set priorities for care and transport
Beginning Spinal Motion Restriction
● Treat the patient’s life-threatening conditions while not aggravating a potential spine
injury
