The primary survey is choreography: the same order every time, each problem fixed before the next letter, repeated whenever the patient changes. Eight findings are in front of you at once — choose them in the order you would treat them. Then move to the neuro bench, score a Glasgow Coma Scale, and read whether this head is about to herniate.
Mr Okafor, 37. Motorcyclist versus barrier, ejected, helmeted.
He arrives on a scoop with a rigid collar in place, agitated and fighting the crew. Everything below is true at the same moment. Address them in the order you would actually treat them.
<C>catastrophic
Aairway
Bbreathing
Ccirculation
Ddisability
Eexposure
Findings on arrival
Neuro watch.Score the best response in each category, note anything untestable, and enter the observations. The bench does the arithmetic and tells you what each number obliges you to do.