How to Conduct a Primary Survey of an Injured Person During First Aid
Once a rescuer has deemed an emergency scene safe (see "How to Maximize the Safety of an Emergency Scene"), he or she should identify and fix the most serious problems before moving on to the secondary survey.
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Instructions
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Put on latex gloves to prevent infection or transmission of disease.
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Check airway, breathing and circulation. (See "How to Check Airway, Breathing and Circulation.")
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Begin rescue breathing if the injured person is not breathing, but has a pulse. (See "How to Perform Rescue Breathing.")
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Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the injured person has no pulse. (See "How to Perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).")
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Treat severe bleeding if the injured person is breathing and has a pulse. (See "How to Treat Severe Bleeding.")
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Immobilize the neck by holding the head firmly, with one hand on each side of the head, and allowing no motion.
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Release the head only after you have determined that there is no spinal injury. (See "How to Rule out a Spinal Cord Injury.")
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Tips & Warnings
If there is more than one rescuer, have someone else immobilize the head while you carry out the rest of the survey.
If there is a third rescuer, have him or her write down your findings. Otherwise, you or the second rescuer should do this.
If you are the only rescuer and must perform rescue breathing or CPR, try to move the head and neck as little as possible.
Be thorough in looking for bleeding, especially if the injured person is wearing a lot of clothing, which is often the case in wilderness settings.
Contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross for information about first-aid classes near you.
Contact the Wilderness Medicine Institute or the National Outdoor Leadership School for information about wilderness medicine courses and books.
Begin the secondary survey only after you have checked and fixed all of the above problems. (See "How to Conduct a Secondary Survey of an Injured Person.")
Some diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis B, are transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids. To minimize the risk of infection from oozing or spurting fluids, wear latex gloves and plastic goggles.
Many other illnesses can be transmitted through the air. Wear a surgical mask to minimize the risk.
If you have specific medical conditions or concerns, we recommend you contact a physician. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
