To detect and care for serious injuries in a patient with a significant MOI, you will begin by performing a

• A. Primary Assessment
• B. Focused Exam
• C. Rapid Secondary Exam
• D. Full Head-to-Toe Exam

Answer: (C)

In trauma care after a significant mechanism of injury, the priority is to quickly uncover injuries that could threaten life while you continue to manage airway, breathing, and circulation. Once the initial primary assessment has addressed any immediate life threats, you perform a rapid secondary exam—a swift, systematic head-to-toe survey designed to detect other injuries that might be missed during the primary survey. This rapid sweep helps you identify serious problems such as hidden internal bleeding, chest or abdominal injuries, limb deformities, or neurologic changes, so you can start appropriate treatment without delaying essential life-saving interventions. A primary assessment focuses on life threats first, a focused exam targets a specific area, and a full head-to-toe exam, though thorough, is too time-consuming for a rapid trauma assessment.