How to assess a medical patient on scene
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.
In medical calls the history leads the way. The NREMT medical assessment puts the interview right after the life threats.
Step by step
Scene size-up
Protection, safety, nature of illness, number of patients and resources. [1]
Primary survey
General impression, responsiveness, airway, breathing and circulation. Treat life threats. [1]
Chief complaint and OPQRST
What is wrong, then onset, provocation, quality, region and radiation, severity and time. [1]
SAMPLE
Signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, past history, last oral intake, events. [1]
Focused exam
Examine the system related to the complaint: lungs for breathing problems, neuro for weakness. [1]
Vital signs and glucose
Full set, plus blood glucose when mental status is changed. [1]
Impression, treatment and transport
Say your field impression, treat per protocol and transport. [2]
Reassess
Every 5 minutes if unstable, 15 if stable. [2]
Common errors
- Skipping the primary survey because the patient talks.
- No glucose in a confused patient.
- No reassessment during transport.
Practice it in Making Synapses
In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
Making Synapses cases that train this skill
- Tuberculosis, contact with symptoms
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Postpartum hemorrhage
- Heart failure, worsening
- Older man feeling weak (full assessment)
- Parkinson disease, home safety
143 Making Synapses cases train this skill: open the case library
Sources
Facts and steps follow NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic). Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.