| System | Examples/diagnosis | Signs/symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Abdomen |
Abdominal pain in the elderly. Gastrointestinal bleeding. |
Severe pain, stable vital signs. Tachycardia, vomiting blood or bright red blood per rectum. |
| Cardiac |
Chest pain. Acute arterial occlusion. History of angioplasty with chest pain. Pericardial effusion. Infective endocardititis. |
Constant or intermittent, stable vital signs. Absence of distal pulse. Stable vital signs. Chest pain and shortness of breath. History of drug abuse. |
| General |
Immunocompromised patients. Oncology patients. Transplant (post or on waiting list). |
May or may not have fever. |
| Genitourinary |
Testicular torsion. Acute renal failure. |
Sudden onset of testicular pain. Unable to be dialyzed. |
| Gynecological |
Ectopic pregnancy. Spontaneous abortion. |
+ pregnant, severe lower quadrant pain. Bleeding and tachycardia with stable blood pressure. |
| Mental Health |
Combative, hostile, hysterical. Suicidal attempt/complaint. ETOH with trauma. Sexual assault—any. |
|
| Neurologic |
Rule out meningitis. History of multiple cerebrovascular accidents. Acute ischemic stroke. |
Headache, fever, lethargy. Motor or speech deficits. Motor or speech deficits. |
| Pediatric |
Vomiting, diarrhea, unable to eat. Asthma attack. |
Sunken fontanel, poor skin turgor, lethargy. Nasal flaring or use of intercostals. |
| Respiratory |
Acute epiglottitis. Severe asthma. Pleural effusions. Spontaneous pneumothorax. |
Drooling. Severe shortness of breath. Severe shortness of breath. Sudden onset of shortness of breath. |
| Trauma | Motor vehicle crash with transient loss
of consciousness. Stab wound to the groin. |
History of head trauma. Bleeding controlled, obvious stab wound. |