SAMPLE First Aid History: The Questions Worth Asking

A Real-World SAMPLE Scenario

The scene: An ambulance is on the way for abdominal pain and the first aider needs a concise relevant history.

In this SAMPLE scene, begin with S for Signs and symptoms: What can you see and what does the person feel? That opening prompt matters here because Use SAMPLE when the person is responsive, safe to talk to, and you are not delaying urgent care. Keep the observation tied to history taking for illness, injury and ambulance handover; in practice, watch what changed from the person’s normal state, the timeline, relevant symptoms and the response to care rather than reciting the letters without checking the person or setting.

For SAMPLE, E closes the pattern as Events. What happened just before this? Before the sequence is treated as complete, relate it to the minimum facts the next responder needs to act without making the person repeat the whole story. A specific trap to avoid is: Do not forget to pass the answers to paramedics.

Where the scenario could change: Do not interrogate someone who needs immediate CPR, bleeding control or an ambulance call. Structured questions support care, but questioning must stop when urgent treatment or a 000 call is needed. If the facts no longer fit a stable SAMPLE example, stop rehearsing the acronym and move to the safer emergency, clinical or workplace pathway.

Letter-By-Letter Practical Notes

The short table above is designed for scanning. These notes are for readers who want to understand how each component affects a real decision about history taking for illness, injury and ambulance handover.

1. S — Signs and symptoms: As the opening prompt, this means: What can you see and what does the person feel? In a SAMPLE situation, the useful check is whether that instruction changes what you observe, what you do next or what you need to report.
2. A — Allergies: As the step 2 of the sequence, this means: Any known allergies, especially medication, food or insect allergies? In a SAMPLE situation, the useful check is whether that instruction changes what you observe, what you do next or what you need to report.
3. M — Medications: As the step 3 of the sequence, this means: What medicines do they take or carry? In a SAMPLE situation, the useful check is whether that instruction changes what you observe, what you do next or what you need to report.
4. P — Past medical history: As the step 4 of the sequence, this means: Relevant conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or heart disease. In a SAMPLE situation, the useful check is whether that instruction changes what you observe, what you do next or what you need to report.
5. L — Last oral intake: As the step 5 of the sequence, this means: When did they last eat or drink? In a SAMPLE situation, the useful check is whether that instruction changes what you observe, what you do next or what you need to report.
6. E — Events: As the closing prompt, this means: What happened just before this? In a SAMPLE situation, the useful check is whether that instruction changes what you observe, what you do next or what you need to report.

SAMPLE and similar terms

Questions about symptoms, allergies, medicines, past history, last food or drink and the events leading up to the problem. It gathers background information.

Here is how the related terms differ:

• GCS: Glasgow Coma Scale: a detailed way trained clinicians assess and record someone's responses. It is more detailed than AVPU.
• IMIST-AMBO: A detailed handover format used by ambulance and emergency teams. It covers more information than most beginners need to remember.
• MIST: A short handover format covering how an injury happened, the injuries, signs and treatment given. It is especially useful for reporting trauma.
• AVPU: A quick way to describe how someone responds: alert, responds to voice, responds to pain, or unresponsive. It is simpler than a full Glasgow Coma Scale assessment.