Which source is explicitly a method to obtain pertinent history from the material?

• A. Medical records/documents
• B. Prehospital report
• C. SAMPLE
• D. Vital signs chart

Answer: (B)

A structured, bedside history-taking approach is what this item is testing. The SAMPLE mnemonic is specifically designed to obtain pertinent history directly from the patient (and bystanders when needed) in the trauma setting. It provides a concise framework: Signs and Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last oral intake, and Events leading up to the incident. This makes it explicit how to gather the information that most directly influences immediate care decisions, such as potential drug interactions, allergies that could complicate treatment, or timing and circumstances of the injury.

Other sources can contribute data but are not the direct method used to obtain the patient’s history during the initial assessment. A prehospital report is a secondary source that can supplement information gathered from the patient, a medical records/document typically provides background but isn’t a real-time method for eliciting history, and the vital signs chart records physiologic data rather than the narrative history that informs clinical decisions.