During a focused physical assessment for minor trauma, which history element is obtained?

• A. S/SAMPLE
• B. OPQRST
• C. GCS
• D. DCAPBTLS

Answer: (A)

In a focused physical assessment for minor trauma, you quickly gather a concise history using the SAMPLE framework. This means you obtain the Signs and Symptoms first, then ask about Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last oral intake, and Events leading up to the injury. Starting with Signs and Symptoms helps you understand the patient’s current complaints and how the injury is affecting them, which immediately guides priorities and interventions.

Other options serve different purposes: OPQRST is a pain-history tool used to characterize pain, not the overall trauma history; GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) assesses level of consciousness, not history; and DCAPBTLS is a mnemonic for the physical inspection of injuries, not for taking history. Thus, the history element you obtain in this scenario is the Signs and Symptoms portion of the SAMPLE history.