How often should an EMT reassess a stable patient?

Reassessing a stable patient is crucial for monitoring any changes in their condition. The recommended interval for reassessment is every 15 minutes. This timeframe allows emergency medical technicians to effectively track vital signs and any other relevant clinical indicators, ensuring any deterioration in the patient's status can be detected and addressed promptly.

By checking every 15 minutes, EMTs are able to observe trends in the patient's condition while balancing the need for efficient care and response. A 5-minute interval may be unnecessarily frequent for a stable patient, while intervals of 10 minutes or longer may not provide timely enough monitoring to catch changes that could pose a risk to the patient's health. Reassessing every 30 minutes could leave a significant gap in monitoring, especially in a dynamic environment where patient conditions can change rapidly.