The SAMPLE history is a structured method used by lifeguards and other first responders to collect a patient’s medical background during an emergency. This systematic approach ensures that important information is not overlooked when communicating with a responsive person who is ill or injured. The collected details provide context that helps guide immediate care decisions and offers a clearer picture of the patient’s overall health status.
Contextualizing SAMPLE: Primary vs. Secondary Assessment
A lifeguard’s assessment of a patient is divided into two distinct phases to prioritize immediate threats to life. The Primary Assessment always comes first, focusing on immediate life threats such as securing an open Airway, ensuring effective Breathing, and managing major Circulation problems. This initial phase is rapid and aimed at stabilizing the patient.
Only once the patient is stable, and any immediate life-threatening issues have been addressed, does the lifeguard move on to the Secondary Assessment. The Secondary Assessment is where the SAMPLE history is utilized to gather more detailed, non-life-threatening information. Using this mnemonic confirms that a systematic history is collected only after the patient’s basic bodily functions are secured.
Decoding the SAMPLE Mnemonic
The SAMPLE mnemonic is an organized series of questions designed to elicit a comprehensive patient history. Each letter represents a category of information that helps the lifeguard understand the patient’s underlying health and the context of the emergency.
- S: Signs and Symptoms
- A: Allergies
- M: Medications
- P: Past Pertinent Medical History
- L: Last Oral Intake
- E: Events Leading Up to the Incident
S: Signs and Symptoms
These are the patient’s subjective complaints and the objective evidence the lifeguard observes. Symptoms are what the patient feels and reports, like nausea or a sharp pain. Signs are observable facts, such as pale skin, rapid breathing, or bleeding.
A: Allergies
This is an inquiry into any known sensitivities the patient has, particularly to medications, foods, or environmental factors like bee stings. This information is important for preventing an anaphylactic reaction if medication is administered by higher-level providers.
M: Medications
This includes any prescription drugs, over-the-counter remedies, herbal supplements, or recreational substances the patient may have taken recently. Knowledge of current medications can reveal underlying chronic conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, and helps to anticipate potential drug interactions or side effects.
P: Past Pertinent Medical History
Focus on any pre-existing medical conditions or previous surgeries that could relate to the current emergency. Conditions like asthma, epilepsy, or cardiac issues can manifest suddenly. Focusing on “pertinent” history means asking about conditions relevant to the current chief complaint.
L: Last Oral Intake
This refers to the last time the patient ate or drank and what it was. This detail is relevant because a full stomach increases the risk of aspiration if the patient becomes unconscious and requires rescue breathing or intubation. It also provides important clues for medical events like hypoglycemia.
E: Events Leading Up to the Incident
This establishes the mechanism of injury or the progression of the illness. Understanding the sequence of events provides critical context for the lifeguard and subsequent medical responders. This timeline helps determine if the issue is trauma-related or medical in nature.
Applying SAMPLE Information to Lifeguard Care
The history collected using the SAMPLE mnemonic is immediately actionable for the lifeguard in the field. Information about a patient’s asthma or a diabetic condition influences the lifeguard’s monitoring frequency and the specific first aid care provided until Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrive. Knowing a patient has a history of seizures, for instance, prepares the lifeguard to manage a post-seizure state more effectively.
The primary application of the SAMPLE history is the professional hand-off to higher medical professionals. Lifeguards communicate this detailed history to EMS personnel, ensuring a seamless continuity of care. This transfer of data allows the arriving paramedics to quickly form a differential diagnosis and begin advanced treatment protocols. The collected history becomes a fundamental part of the patient’s medical record.