Mnemonics

Question 1

FAST

Answer 1

Face, Arms, Speech, and Time. Used to quickly assess and identify signs of a stroke.

Question 2

OPQRST

Answer 2

Onset, Provocation, Quality, Region and Radiation, Severity, and Time. Used in patient assessment to gather detailed information about the patient’s chief complaint and the history of the present illness or injury.

Question 3

SAMPLE

Answer 3

Signs and Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past medical history, Last oral intake, and Events. Used in patient assessment to ensure that all critical components of the patient’s history are addressed.

Question 4

PERRL

Answer 4

Pupils are Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light. Used in medical assessments to describe the normal functioning of a patient’s pupils.

Question 5

DCAP-BTLS

Answer 5

Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, and Swelling. Used by EMTs to remember the types of injuries to look for during a patient assessment.

Question 6

AVPU

Answer 6

Alert, Verbal response, Painful response, and Unresponsive. A memory aid used to classify a patient’s level of responsiveness or mental status.