Which item is NOT part of the Patient Assessment?

• A. Communication with patient
• B. Number of patients
• C. Extrication issues
• D. Scene safety

Answer: (D)

Patient assessment is about evaluating the patient’s condition—airway, breathing, circulation, mental status, and history—while you perform care. Scene safety, on the other hand, belongs to the scene size-up: it’s about making sure the environment is safe for you and the patient before you begin any assessment or treatment. If hazards exist, you can’t reliably assess or treat the patient, so safety checks happen prior to the patient assessment.

Communication with the patient fits squarely in the assessment because you’re gathering information directly from the patient to gauge their condition. The number of patients and extrication issues are planning and logistics factors that influence how you manage and access the patient, but they’re not checks of the patient’s condition themselves, and thus belong more to scene management and extrication planning rather than the patient assessment.