What process is used to evaluate a patient's condition?

Patient assessment is the systematic process used to evaluate a patient's condition, which involves gathering relevant information about the patient's medical history, symptoms, physical examination findings, and vital signs. This comprehensive approach allows the EMT to identify the health status of the patient, prioritizing care and determining the appropriate interventions.

During patient assessment, both the primary and secondary assessments are conducted. The primary assessment focuses on immediate life-threatening conditions, ensuring that the patient is stable, while the secondary assessment delves deeper into existing conditions and specific complaints. This entire process is crucial for establishing a diagnosis and crafting an effective treatment plan, as it encapsulates both qualitative and quantitative data to get a thorough understanding of the patient's health status.

Other options, while related to patient evaluation, do not encompass the full breadth of the systematic approach that patient assessment provides. Patient history, for example, is an essential component but is just one part of the overall assessment process. Medical evaluations and field diagnosis may be used in specific contexts but do not capture the comprehensive nature of the patient assessment that is fundamental to EMT practice.