In single-starred criteria, what does letter E stand for?

In single-starred criteria, what does letter E stand for?

• A. Exposure
• B. Environment
• C. Edema
• D. Exhalation

Answer: (A)

In trauma assessment, the E in the ABCDE sequence stands for Exposure. After you’ve secured the airway, assessed breathing, ensured circulation, and checked the patient’s level of disability, you remove clothing as needed so you can inspect the entire body for hidden injuries, wounds, or active bleeding, including the back. This step is done with care to prevent heat loss, so the patient is kept warm with blankets or warming devices and high-priority measures are taken to maintain normothermia. Other options don’t fit because they aren’t part of the structured primary survey. Exhaling isn’t a designated step in this sequence, edema isn’t an initial survey focus, and environment isn’t the term used for this part of the assessment. Exposure explicitly covers the goal of a complete visual and tactile inspection of the patient’s body to avoid missing injuries.

In trauma assessment, the E in the ABCDE sequence stands for Exposure. After you’ve secured the airway, assessed breathing, ensured circulation, and checked the patient’s level of disability, you remove clothing as needed so you can inspect the entire body for hidden injuries, wounds, or active bleeding, including the back. This step is done with care to prevent heat loss, so the patient is kept warm with blankets or warming devices and high-priority measures are taken to maintain normothermia.

Other options don’t fit because they aren’t part of the structured primary survey. Exhaling isn’t a designated step in this sequence, edema isn’t an initial survey focus, and environment isn’t the term used for this part of the assessment. Exposure explicitly covers the goal of a complete visual and tactile inspection of the patient’s body to avoid missing injuries.