In trauma assessment, when a significant MOI is present, the rapid head-to-toe assessment should be performed:

• A. Before addressing airway, breathing, and circulation.
• B. After addressing airway, breathing, and circulation.
• C. Only if the patient is conscious.
• D. Only during transport.

Answer: (B)

In trauma care, you secure life threats first by managing airway, breathing, and circulation. Once those essentials are stabilized, you perform the rapid head-to-toe assessment as part of the secondary survey. This order ensures you don’t miss a life-threatening problem like airway obstruction, hypoxia, or major bleeding while you’re looking for other injuries. The rapid exam is designed to quickly identify additional injuries that aren’t immediately life-threatening but require attention, and it is performed after ABCs have been addressed, not before. It isn’t limited to conscious patients, and it isn’t something you reserve only for transport—the rapid assessment is integrated into the initial stabilization and ongoing care in the field and during transport.