Secondary Assessment

The secondary assessment helps identify and treat visible or unseen illnesses and injuries. The following is a general procedure for conducting a secondary assessment.

  1. Call for help if needed.
  2. If there is a possible severe injury, keep the victim in the position in which he was found.
  3. Examine the victim from head to toe using the sixty second check. Look for and ask about tenderness or pain, deformity, fluid, and moisture.
  4. Begin treatment for any found injuries after the entire assessment has been performed.
  5. Record any abnormalities found for reporting to other emergency personnel.
  6. Monitor the patient closely and continue treatment for shock.

Maintain the patient until emergency medical personnel arrive and supply them with Continued Care instructions when they arrive.

Return to the Emergency Page.

 
SCUBA Rescue Plan
Please send your comments to Jeff.Bevis@vt.edu
©1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000  Jeffrey G. Bevis