Forming a general impression as part of your primary assessment helps you to:
A) determine baseline mental status.
B) determine general clinical status and priority.
C) make a determination about stabilization of the cervical spine.
D) estimate vital signs.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Forming a general impression is an important part of the primary assessment as it allows you to quickly determine the general clinical status and priority of the patient, which then helps guide your further assessment and treatment. It includes observing the patient's level of consciousness, general appearance, and obvious life threats such as severe bleeding or difficulty breathing. While it may provide some clues about vital signs, it is not the primary means of estimating them. Determination of baseline mental status and stabilization of the cervical spine are also important components of the primary assessment but are not directly related to forming a general impression.

Forming a General Impression as Part of Your Primary Assessment