DCAP-BTLS – Secondary Trauma Assessment

Below is a sneak peek of this content!

DCAP-BTLS: A Simple Head-to-Toe Check for Hidden Injuries After you've handled the biggest dangers using MARCH PAWS (like stopping heavy bleeding and making sure the person can breathe), it's time for the next step: a careful full-body check. This is called the secondary assessment or head-to-toe exam. It helps you spot injuries that aren't obvious at first but could become serious if missed. The easy way to remember what to look for is the acronym DCAP-BTLS (pronounced "dee-cap-bee-tells"). It stands for: D – Deformities (anything that looks out of shape, like a broken bone pushing the skin weird) C – Contusions (bruises or black-and-blue marks) A – Abrasions (scrapes or road rash on the skin) P – Punctures/Penetrations (holes from stabs, gunshots, or sharp objects) B – Burns (red, blistered, or charred skin from heat or chemicals) T – Tenderness (pain when you gently touch or press the area) L – Lacerations (cuts or tears in the skin) S – Swelling (puffiness or lumps that shouldn't be there) This quick checklist guides you through looking at every part of the body from head to toe (and front to back). Do it carefully while keeping the person's neck and spine...