A secondary assessment includes which of the following components?

The secondary assessment is a crucial component of patient evaluation in an emergency care setting, focusing on a thorough physical examination and gathering more detailed information after the initial assessment has been conducted. The hands-on physical exam is essential for identifying any injuries or medical conditions that may not be immediately obvious, and it allows the provider to check for specific signs, such as tenderness, swelling, or deformity. Additionally, taking vital signs—such as pulse, respiration rate, blood pressure, and temperature—provides valuable information about the patient's physiological status, helping to direct further treatment.

While the other components mentioned, such as the patient's verbal report, medical history, and transport decision process, are important in the overall assessment and management of the patient, they are not part of the secondary assessment focus. The verbal report and medical history are often gathered during the primary assessment, and the transport decision is typically made based on the whole assessment rather than being a component of the physical examination itself.