1. Finding Out What’s Wrong
Chapter 4
Finding Out What’s Wrong

2. Checking the Victim Victim assessment
Sequence of actions that helps determine what is wrong
Ensures safe and appropriate first aid
Goals are:
Detect life-threatening conditions rapidly
Determine other problems needing care
Determine if the victim needs medical care

3. Scene Size-Up Determines the safety of the scene
Cause of injury or nature of illness
Number of victims
If scene appears hazardous, do not enter!

4. Initial Check (1 of 5)
Determines if there are life-threatening problems requiring quick care.
Involves checking the victim’s responsiveness, opening the airway, checking for breathing, and checking for severe bleeding.

5. Initial Check (2 of 5)
Determine if the victim is responsive.

6. Initial Check (3 of 5)
Ensure that the victim’s airway is open.

7. Initial Check (4 of 5)
Determine if the victim is breathing.

8. Initial Check (5 of 5)
Check for any obvious, severe bleeding.

9. General Impression of Victim
Also known as first impression, look test, or a gut reaction
Determine whether the victim is injured or ill.

10. Check Responsiveness Victim can be responsive or unresponsive
AVPU scale
A – alert
V – Responsive to verbal stimulus
P – Responsive only to painful stimulus
U – Unresponsive to any stimulus

11. Open Airway Airway must be open for breathing.
Use the head tilt-chin lift method to open the airway.

12. Check for Breathing
Check for breathing sounds that might indicate a problem.
Check for breathing in an unresponsive victim while opening the airway.
Look, listen, and feel.

13. Check for Severe Bleeding
Look over the victim’s entire body for blood.
Apply direct pressure and a sterile dressing.
Avoid contact with the victim’s blood.

14. Skin Condition
Skin temperature
Color
Reflects circulation
Condition

15. Expose the Injury
Clothing may have to be removed to check for injury and to provide first aid.
Explain what you intend to do and why first.

16. Physical Exam
Goal is to immediately identify any potentially life-threatening illness or injury.
Most victims will not require a complete head-to-toe type of physical exam.

17. Signs and Symptoms Signs
Victim’s conditions you can see, feel, hear, or smell.
Symptoms
Things the victim feels and is able to describe; known as the chief complaint.

18. DOTS
D = Deformity
O = Open wounds
T = Tenderness
S= Swelling

19. Conducting a Physical Exam (1 of 7)
Head: check for DOTS

20. Conducting a Physical Exam (2 of 7)
Neck: check for DOTS

21. Conducting a Physical Exam (3 of 7)
Chest: check for DOTS

22. Conducting a Physical Exam (4 of 7)
Abdomen: check for DOTS

23. Conducting a Physical Exam (5 of 7)
Pelvis: check for DOTS

24. Conducting a Physical Exam (6 of 7)
Extremities: check both arms and legs for DOTS

25. Conducting a Physical Exam (7 of 7)
Back: if no spinal injury is suspected, turn the victim on his or her side and check for DOTS

26. SAMPLE History S = Symptoms A = Allergies M = Medications
P = Past medical history
L = Last oral intake
E = Events leading up to the illness or injury

27. Medical Identification Tags
Look for a medical identification tag or a medical information card.
Beneficial in identifying allergies, medications, or medical history

28. Putting It All Together
If victim requires medical care, pass this information on:
Victim’s chief complaint
Responsiveness
Initial check
Physical exam findings
SAMPLE history
Any first aid that has been provided

29. Triage Process of prioritizing multiple victims Immediate care
Urgent care
Delayed care
Dead

30. Advantages of the Left-Side Position
Also called recovery position
Has several advantages:
Keeps airway open
Delays vomiting
Delays poison’s effects
Relieves pressure on a pregnant woman’s vena cava