SAMPLE is a mnemonic used by EMTs, paramedics, and other first responders to remember six key categories of patient information during an emergency assessment. It stands for Signs and Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent medical history, Last ins and outs (or last oral intake), and Events leading up to the incident.
What Each Letter Means
S: Signs and Symptoms. Signs are things that can be observed or measured, like a rash, irregular heart rate, or wheezing lung sounds. Symptoms are what the patient feels but others can’t necessarily see, like pain, dizziness, nausea, or shortness of breath. A first responder will look for visible signs while asking the patient to describe what they’re experiencing.
A: Allergies. This covers allergies to medications (commonly penicillin, aspirin, and sulfa drugs), but also food, environmental, and contact allergies. The specific reaction matters too. There’s a big difference between a medication that caused a mild rash and one that triggered throat swelling.
M: Medications. Everything the patient currently takes, including prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, and supplements. People often forget to mention birth control pills, inhalers, eye drops, creams, and medications they only take as needed. How often someone actually takes a medication (versus how it was prescribed) can also be relevant.
P: Pertinent medical history. Past surgeries, hospitalizations, chronic conditions, and recent illnesses. “Pertinent” is the key word here. Not every detail of a patient’s medical past matters in a given emergency, but conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or a recent surgery can change how the situation is handled.
L: Last ins and outs. This refers to the last time the patient ate or drank, and sometimes their last urination or bowel movement. The most common reason this matters is anesthesia risk. If a patient needs emergency surgery or sedation, food in the stomach can be aspirated (inhaled into the lungs), potentially blocking the airway or causing a serious lung inflammation. The risk is low, under 1 in 1,000 in surgical settings, but fatal cases have been documented, particularly with solid foods.
E: Events leading up to the incident. What was the patient doing right before the problem started? Did they fall, exert themselves, eat something unusual, or take a new medication? This context helps responders piece together what’s happening and whether the situation is likely to worsen.
Why SAMPLE Exists
Emergency scenes are chaotic. A patient may be in pain, bystanders may be talking over each other, and responders have limited time to gather the information that matters most. SAMPLE gives first responders a mental checklist so critical details don’t get missed during that initial evaluation. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians includes these categories in its standardized patient assessment exam, scoring each component individually.
The mnemonic is designed to be fast. A responder can work through all six categories in a couple of minutes, and the answers travel with the patient to the hospital, giving the emergency department team a head start on diagnosis and treatment.
How SAMPLE Relates to OPQRST
You’ll often see SAMPLE paired with another mnemonic called OPQRST, which stands for Onset, Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, and Time. While SAMPLE captures the patient’s broader medical background, OPQRST zooms in specifically on pain or discomfort: when it started, what makes it better or worse, what it feels like, where it spreads, how bad it is on a scale, and how long it’s been going on.
In practice, a paramedic might use OPQRST to understand the immediate complaint (say, chest pain) and SAMPLE to understand the person behind the complaint (their medications, allergies, and medical history). Together, the two mnemonics cover both the acute problem and the context surrounding it.