Which of the following is correct about the secondary assessment for a high-priority patient?

• A. You may not have time to complete a secondary assessment.
• B. The secondary assessment must be performed prior to transport.
• C. Never contact medical direction before completing the secondary assessment.
• D. Never perform a secondary assessment on a high-priority patient.

Answer: (A)

In high-priority patients, the main focus is rapid transport to definitive care, addressing life threats first. A full secondary assessment can take time, so you may not have enough on-scene time to complete it. You still aim to identify obvious injuries and perform essential checks, but if time is limited you prioritize getting the patient moving toward the hospital and handle critical interventions en route. That’s why the statement that you may not have time to complete a secondary assessment is the best answer.

The other points aren’t consistent with typical practice: you don’t have to finish a secondary before transport when minutes count; contacting medical direction can happen as needed, including to guide care or transport decisions; and you can perform at least a rapid secondary or focused assessment when feasible, rather than never performing one.