Question: How do you think you could make an initial assessment of the patient?

Answer: You should begin your assessment by simply asking the patient 'are you alright?' An appropriate verbal response indicates a patent airway with oxygen and circulation reaching the brain.

Question: Then what would you do?

Answer

Question: How do you think you could make an initial assessment of the patient?

Answer: You should begin your assessment by simply asking the patient 'are you alright?' An appropriate verbal response indicates a patent airway with oxygen and circulation reaching the brain.

Question: Then what would you do?

Answer: You should then look, listen and feel for signs of critical illness:

• Does the patient have a noisy airway (suggesting obstruction)?
• Is the patient struggling to breathe (increased respiratory rate, use of accessory muscles, cyanosis) indicating problems with breathing?
• Is the capillary refill time prolonged or the pulse weak? These can be present with poor cardiac output