In determining whether to award or not award a point, or check failure of a critical criteria, the examiner should consider whether the candidate’s failure perform a task in a particular sequence could have a harmful effect on the patient or provider.  Failure to check for scene safety, or failure to identify the need for ventilatory support are examples of situations that must be done, in sequence, in order to ensure that the provider and patient are safe, or to ensure that the patient receives treatment to prevent a deterioration of the patient’s condition.

On the other hand, it would be reasonable to award points for assessing the abdomen during the secondary survey, if the candidate initially skips the abdomen (during the secondary survey), then returns to it after later in the survey.