EMT Curriculum

Chapter 8: Patient Assessment

National EMS Education Standard Competencies

Assessment

Applies scene information and patient assessment findings (scene size-up, primary and secondary assessment, patient history, and

reassessment) to guide emergency management.

History Taking

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Determining the chief complaint (pp 280–282)

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Mechanism of injury/nature of illness (pp 256–257)

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Associated signs and symptoms (pp 280–282)

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Investigation of the chief complaint (pp 280–282)

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Past medical history (pp 280–282)

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Pertinent negatives (p 282)

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How and when to reassess patients (p 306)

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How and when to perform a reassessment for all patient situations (p 306)

Knowledge Objectives

1. Discuss the process of taking a focused history, its key components, and its relationship to the primary assessment process. (pp

280–281)

2. Describe examples of different techniques an EMT may use to obtain information from patients during the history-taking process.

(pp 280–287)

3. Discuss different challenges EMTs may face when taking a patient history on sensitive topics and strategies they may use to

facilitate each situation. (pp 282–287)