primary assessment


assessment

 [ah-ses´ment] an appraisal or evaluation.fetal assessment see fetal assessment.focused assessment a highly specific assessment performed on patients in the emergency department, focusing on the system or systems involved in the patient's problem.functional assessment an objective review of an individual's mobility, transfer skills, and activities of daily living, including self care, sphincter control, mobility, locomotion, and communication. It is used to establish a baseline, to predict rehabilitation outcomes, to evaluate therapeutic interventions, and for standardizing communication for research purposes.lethality assessment a systematic method of assessing a patient's suicide potential.neurologic assessment see neurologic assessment.nursing assessment see nursing assessment.primary assessment a rapid, initial examination of a patient to recognize and manage all immediate life-threatening conditions. Called also primary survey.secondary assessment a continuation of the primary assessment, where the medical professional obtains vital signs, reassesses changes in the patient's condition, and performs appropriate physical examinations.

primary assessment

The first evaluation of the patient in the field, conducted after it is clear that the scene is safe. This preliminary evaluation is designed to locate and manage life-threatening injuries or illness and to determine the patient's triage priority. The initial assessment follows the sequence of mental status, airway, breathing, and circulation. See also: assessment