SAMPLE/OPQRST Guide: Master Patient History & Pain Assessment

When you're assessing a patient, it's easy to miss important details if you don't have a structure. That's where SAMPLE and OPQRST come in. These two mnemonics are essential tools for EMTs and first responders

they give you a roadmap for gathering the patient's history and understanding their symptoms.

SAMPLE helps you capture the big picture.

OPQRST zooms in on the story behind the symptoms, especially pain.

Together, they form the backbone of your patient interview. In this guide, we'll break down each step of SAMPLE and OPQRST, show you how to combine them effectively, and walk through a sample scenario so you can see it all in action.

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1. SAMPLE History

Use SAMPLE to quickly get a clear picture of your patient's background and current state:

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S – Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms (what the patient feels): "What's bothering you right now?" If they already told you their chief complaints, "Do you feel anything else other than the [chief complaint]?"

Signs (what you observe): Look for visible clues such as sweating, pale skin, or difficulty breathing.

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A – Allergies

"Do you have any allergies to medications, foods, or anything in your environment?"

"What kind of reaction do you have

something mild like a rash, or something severe like trouble breathing or anaphylaxis?"

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M – Medications

"What medications are you currently taking?"

"When was the last time you took them?"

"What do you take them for?"

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P – Past Medical History

"Do you have any medical conditions?"

"Have you ever had any surgeries or been hospitalized before?"

"Has this happened to you before?"

"Does your family have any past medical history of [relevant condition]?"

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L – Last Oral Intake

"When was the last time you had anything to eat or drink?"

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E – Events Leading Up to the Call

"What were you doing right before this started? Did anything trigger it or make it worse?"

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2. OPQRST Pain Assessment

Use OPQRST to understand and document pain or discomfort thoroughly:

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O – Onset

"Did this come on suddenly or gradually?"

"What were you doing when it began?"

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P – Provocation/Palliation

"Does anything make it better or worse, like moving, changing position, taking medicine, or applying heat or ice?"

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Q – Quality

"How would you describe the pain in your own words? Is it sharp, dull, burning, crushing, throbbing, or something else?"

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R – Region/Radiation

"Where exactly is the pain? Does it stay in one spot, or does it spread anywhere?"

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S – Severity

"On a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain you've ever felt, how bad is it right now?"

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T – Timing

"How long has this been going on/When did it start?"

"Is it constant or does it come and go?"

"Has it been getting better or worse?"

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Putting It All Together: A SAMPLE Scenario

*(Haha, see what we did there)*

Imagine you were dispatched to a patient complaining of chest pain. You're currently in the back of the ambulance on the way to hospital. The patient is stable, so now is the perfect time get some more information.

Let's begin!

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EMT: Hello, sir, do you mind if I ask you some more questions?

Pt: Sure.

EMT (Signs & Symptoms): Okay… Other than the chest pain, is there anything else that is bothering you today?

Pt: Nope, just this pressure in my chest.

EMT (Allergies): Got it. Do you have any allergies to medications, food, or anything else?

Pt: Nope.

EMT (Medications): Are you taking any medications or supplements?

Pt: I take blood pressure medicine every morning.

EMT: Do you know the name of it?

Pt: I think it's called Lisinopril.

EMT: Did you take it today?

Pt: Yeah, I took it a couple of hours ago.

EMT (Past Medical History): Do you have any relevant medical history?

Pt: Just high blood pressure.

EMT: Does your family have any history of heart issues?

Pt: My dad had a heart attack when he was 42.

EMT (Last Oral Intake): When did you last eat or drink anything?

Pt: About 2 hours ago, just a burger.

EMT (Events Leading Up to the Call): What were you doing when this started?

Pt: I was walking up the stairs when it suddenly started.

EMT (Onset): So it started while walking. Got it. Did it happen suddenly or gradually?

Pt: It just came all of a sudden.

EMT (Provocation/Palliation): Does anything make it better or worse? Like sitting, standing, resting, or medications?

Pt: Resting makes it a little better.

EMT (Quality): How would you describe the pain? Sharp, dull, squeezing, burning?

Pt: It feels like a squeezing pressure.

EMT (Region/Radiation): Where exactly is it? Does it spread anywhere, like your arm, jaw, or back? Or is it just in your chest?

Pt: Middle of my chest… and it's going to my left arm.

EMT (Severity): On a scale of 0 to 10, 0 being no pain and 10 the worst pain imaginable, how bad is it?

Pt: Around 7.

EMT (Timing): When did it start, and has it changed since then?

Pt: About 10 minutes ago, and it's been constant.

EMT: Perfect, thank you. That gives us a good understanding of what's going on. Let's continue monitoring your vitals and get you the care you need.

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Practice Makes Perfect

Not too difficult right? However, reading about it is one thing, but real mastery comes from doing it over and over again until the questions roll off your tongue without hesitation.

That's exactly what Medceptor's AI EMT Trainer is built for. With realistic patient simulations and instant feedback, you can practice SAMPLE, OPQRST, and the entire patient assessment as if you're on scene

without the stress of messing up in the field.

👉 Ready to turn knowledge into muscle memory? Try Medceptor today and start practicing smarter.