What is the correct order of the primary survey?

• A. Call for help, assess responsiveness, open airway, check breathing and circulation, provide care.
• B. Assess responsiveness, call for help, open airway, check breathing and circulation, provide care.
• C. Open airway, assess responsiveness, call for help, check breathing and circulation, provide care.
• D. Assess responsiveness, call for help, open airway, check breathing and circulation, provide care

Answer: (B)

The main idea this question tests is the proper sequence of the primary survey to rapidly identify life-threatening conditions and act accordingly. First, you check if the person is responsive. Knowing whether they are awake or not guides your next steps and helps you decide how urgently you need help. If they are unresponsive, you should call for help immediately so emergency responders are on the way without delay. After you’ve assessed responsiveness and alerted for help, you open the airway to ensure it’s clear. With the airway open, you then check whether the person is breathing and has a pulse, which tells you if you need to start CPR. Finally, you provide the necessary care based on what you find, such as beginning chest compressions and rescue breaths if there’s no normal breathing.

This order minimizes delays in getting help, ensures the patient’s level of consciousness is assessed before taking further action, and moves quickly to airway, breathing, and circulation to determine the lifesaving steps.