SAMPLE history is a
mnemonic
A mnemonic device ( ), memory trick or memory device is any learning technique that aids information retention or retrieval in the human memory, often by associating the information with something that is easier to remember.
It makes use of e ...
acronym
An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial Letter (alphabet), letter of each wor ...
to remember key questions for a person's medical
assessment.
The SAMPLE history is sometimes used in conjunction with
vital signs
Vital signs (also known as vitals) are a group of the four to six most crucial medical signs that indicate the status of the body's vital (life-sustaining) functions. These measurements are taken to help assess the general physical health of ...
and
OPQRST. The questions are most commonly used in the field of emergency medicine by first responders during the secondary assessment. It is used for alert (conscious) people, but often much of this information can also be obtained from the family or friend of an unresponsive person. In the case of severe trauma, this portion of the assessment is less important. A derivative of SAMPLE history is AMPLE history which places a greater emphasis on a person's medical history.
Meaning
The parts of the mnemonic are:
*S – Signs/Symptoms (Symptoms are important but they are subjective.)
*A – Allergies
*M – Medications
*P – Past Pertinent medical history
*L – Last Oral Intake (Sometimes also Last Menstrual Cycle.)
*E – Events Leading Up To Present Illness / Injury
See also
*
OPQRST
*
ABC (medicine)
ABC and its variations are initialism mnemonics for essential steps used by both medical professionals and lay persons (such as first aiders) when dealing with a patient. In its original form it stands for ''Airway'', ''Breathing,'' and ''Circul ...
*
Past Medical History
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sample History
Emergency medical services
First aid
Medical mnemonics
Mnemonic acronyms