When providing first-aid, it is essential that you gather as much information about the incident and the victim. As soon as you reach the scene of accident or emergency, you can gain helpful information as to what happened and what is wrong with the patient.
The first few minutes of your arrival at the scene of accident are often considered critical, life-saving minutes. It is not the right time to look over every detail of the incident or to ask a lot of questions. Instead, you should quickly observe and listen while approaching the victim. Your immediate goal is to ensure scene safety, get quick information and approach the victim safely. One very important principle of first aid – you should not delay detection of life-threatening problems and providing care.
Disclaimer: the material posted on this page on quick survey assessments is for learning purposes only. To learn how to provide a quick secondary survey of a first aid emergency enrol in workplace approved first aid and CPR training courses.
Initial Assessment
During your initial assessment, you should be able to gather clues about the victim’s possible problem. The information provided to you bystanders is valuable, especially if the victim is unconscious. Some questions that you can ask include:
- The scene of emergency – Is it safe or risky? Does the victim need to be moved? Are the conditions moderate or harsh?
- The patient – Is he conscious or unconscious? Is he trying to say something or pointing to any body part?
- Bystanders – Are they telling you something? Did they witness the accident or emergency? Did they notice any symptoms?
- Mechanism of injury – What is nature of the injury was sustained? What specific objects hit the victim? If car accident, at what speed the car was running? What body parts have been likely affected? How long it likely occurred?
- Injuries or deformities – Is there any body part that appears to be injured or deformed? Did the victim sustain burns, broken bones, crushed limbs or other obvious wounds?
- Signs – Are there any obvious signs that you can see, hear or smell as you approach the victim? Is there bleeding? Did the patient vomit? Does the patient exhibit seizure or convulsions? Is there obvious pain?
During first-aid training courses, participants are taught how to quickly assess the scene of an accident and the victim. It is critical for first-aiders to be highly observant to ensure prompt and appropriate treatment.
What you observe before you actually care for the victim may indicate the presence of serious problems or that the condition may worsen rapidly. At the scene of car accidents, these initial assessments are often called the “windshield survey”, which refers to what you see upon walking up to and peeking into the vehicles windshield. These early observations provide critical information about the immediate needs of the victim. By performing quick survey of the accident and gathering information, you can prioritize the needs of the victim, plan for the care, and organize your supplies. This way, you’ll be able to provide the most needed first aid treatment in a timely manner.
Related Video
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