Patient Assessment

SAMPLE/OPQRST review

Signs and symptoms: Onset, Provokes, Quality, Radiates, Severity, Time since onset (OPQRST). Do you hurt anywhere? See the NREMT's Patient Assessment/Management - Medical practical skill sheet to review questions specific to the patient's situation.

Allergies: Are you allergic to medications or foods? What happened the last time you had a reaction?

Medications: What medications do you take? How much did you take and when?

Pertinent past history: Do you have heart problems, breathing problems, diabetes, mental illness, high blood pressure, seizures, other illnesses? Did you fall?

Last oral intake: When/what did you last eat or drink? Have you consumed any alcohol or recreational drugs today?

Events leading up to the injury or illness: What happened before the incident? What occurred between onset and EMS arrival? What where you doing when the incident occurred?

Articles

"25 Physical Examination Pearls," JEMS
"Beyond the Basics: Patient Assessment," EMS Magazine - covers a number of patient assessment techniques.
"Case of The Month: Check the Attitude at the Patient's Door," JEMS
"Case of The Month: Underexposed," JEMS - discusses the neglected art of the physical exam.
"Exercise Restraint," JEMS - medical and legal issues you must understand to protect the patient and yourself.
"How Do You Define 'EMS Patient'?," JEMS
"Managing Body Jewelry in Emergency Situations: Misconceptions, Patient Care, and Removal Techniques," JEMS
"Think Like the Body Does," EMS Magazine
"The Trouble with Normal," JEMS
"What about the Physical Exam?," JEMS

Additional resources

Visual Skill Sheet: Patient Assessment-Medical (PDF) - a graphic version of the NREMT Patient Assessment-Medical Skill Sheet to make memorizing easier for visual learners.

The 60-Second EMT: Rapid BLS/ALS Assessment, Diagnosis & Triage

Principles of Patient Assessment in EMS

Sick Not Sick: A Guide to Rapid Patient Assessment

Tell a friend about the EMT-B Medical Review.

Updated 08.27.06