Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

2 PREmergency Scene Management

Assess Responsiveness The first vital sign you assess is responsiveness. The patient’s level of consciousness and responsiveness is an important part of the primary assessment because it gives a quick, overall picture of the mental and physical states. At this stage you need to assess only the basics. Is the patient:

The exact method of determining a patient’s consciousness (or responsiveness) and ABC’s depends on the condition of the patient. For example, if the patient speaks to you as you approach, introduce yourself and ask for permission to help. Besides determining consent (Consent - Special Considerations– pg. 6), this is the first step in determining the patient’s responsiveness. If the patient does not respond, then you have implied consent to continue the assessment process until the arrival of a legal guardian or next of kin.

• Conscious (awake and responsive) • Conscious (awake but confused) • Unconscious with no response

The brain requires a constant supply of oxygen and glucose (sugar) to function normally. Changes in mental states may indicate a problem in oxygen supply and/or glucose. An altered mental state in a conscious patient may also be caused by other medical conditions such as hidden trauma, blood loss, drugs, alcohol, low blood sugar or poisoning.

• As soon as you obtain consent, the patient becomes your patient! • If a patient is awake, you can assume the patient is breathing

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