Secondary Survey

AIRWAY Check and open airway

BREATHING Check breathing for 10 seconds

PULSE Check pulse for 10 seconds

HEAD & FACE Deformity, fractures, bleeding & swelling. Check eyes for dilation & reaction to light. Check ears & nose for CSF (BRAIN FLUID)

NECK & THROAT Check the "C" spine for deformity, and fractures. bleeding, swelling & injury to windpipe.

CHEST Deformity, fractures, bleeding and swelling.

ABDOMEN Deformity, bleeding & swelling which may indicate internal bleeding & swelling. Visual check for bruising (internal bleeding).

BACK At rear of ribs checking for deformity, fractures, bleeding & swelling. Check lumber spine as best you can without moving the casualty too much.

PELVIS Before touching the pelvis, consider the mechanism of injury and LOOK at the pelvis and legs for obvious signs of injury. If the signs are there Don’t Touch! If there is no obvious injury, gently apply thumb pressure to the pelvis and feel for any unusual movement or pain response from casualty.

SHOULDERS Deformity, fractures, bleeding & swelling.

ARMS Check for Medi-Care bracelets & track marks, & tattoos (blood group).

Re-Check ABC Check Airway is still open. Check casualty is still breathing and has a pulse

This sequence should NOT be broken unless you find a life threatening injury.

The Secondary Survey should only take 2 - 3 MINS at which time you should return to the ABC. After which you may wish to check pockets and bags for other medical information.

Once you have performed the Secondary Survey and applied any FIRST AID the casualty may be put into the Recovery Position.

Take written records every 10 mins to pass on to the EMS