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Emergency Medicine & First Aid vocabulary · Emergency Assessment (ABC)

Primary survey

Meaning in emergency medicine & first aid, with examples

/ˈpraɪmeri ˈsɜːrveɪ/nounCommon term

In emergency medicine & first aid, primary survey means: A fast, structured first check of a patient, usually in the ABCDE order, to find and deal with life-threatening problems.

In Turkish: birincil bakı, birinci değerlendirme, ilk değerlendirme

How it is used

Used in trauma courses, ambulance services and emergency departments. You carry out or complete the primary survey before moving on to the secondary survey. Problems found during it are usually treated straight away before the check continues.

Example sentences

  1. Primary survey is clear: airway open, breathing normal, no major bleeding.

  2. Finish the primary survey before you splint that ankle.

Common collocations

  • carry out a primary survey
  • complete the primary survey
  • primary survey findings
  • secondary surveyA detailed head-to-toe examination and history taken after the primary survey, once life-threatening problems have been dealt with.
  • ABCShort for airway, breathing, circulation: the order in which a rescuer checks for the most urgent problems in a sick or injured person.
  • scene safetyChecking that the place where someone is hurt or ill is safe to enter, so that rescuers do not become casualties themselves.
  • life-threateningSo serious that it could cause death if it is not treated quickly, such as a blocked airway, heavy bleeding or cardiac arrest.

More terms: Emergency Assessment (ABC)

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.