Assessment and prioritization
ABCDE
Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
The primary survey used for trauma and for any rapid head-to-toe assessment: ABC extended by a neurological check and full exposure of the patient to find what has not yet been seen.
What each letter stands for
- 1 Airway (with cervical spine care).
- 2 Breathing and ventilation.
- 3 Circulation and bleeding control.
- 4 Disability — neurological status.
- 5 Exposure — undress and examine, while preventing heat loss.
How it gets tested
Distinguish this from the skin-lesion ABCDE, which uses the same five letters for something completely unrelated. Exams do put both in the same set.
Related terms
Sitting the TEAS or the HESI A2? Find out what you actually know.
Free practice questions for every section of both exams, with an explanation after each answer. No account, no paywall.
Back to the full abbreviation list
Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute), Elsevier, or any nursing program. TEAS® and HESI® are trademarks of their respective owners. Practice questions here are original study material, not the official exams.