Triage Methods and Coding Quiz

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the main goal of triage in a situation with more casualties than rescuers?

To treat all patients equally without prioritization

To ensure that all patients receive immediate treatment

To identify victims with survivable injuries for prioritization in care (correct)

To provide comfort to those who are severely injured

When is primary triage typically conducted?

On the scene prior to patient movement (correct)

After reaching the hospital

Only when all casualties are accounted for

During transportation of patients

In the START triage system, which color code indicates a patient who is dead?

Green

Black (correct)

Yellow

Red

Which type of triage occurs prior to or during transportation of patients?

Secondary Triage Signup and view all the answers

What key physiological functions are assessed during primary triage?

Airway, breathing, and circulation Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a condition categorized as urgent?

Complex long bone fracture Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conditions can typically wait more than 2 hours for treatment?

Stable high fever with other vital signs normal Signup and view all the answers

What defines a nonurgent condition according to the given categories?

Conditions that can wait more than 2 hours Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an example of a nonurgent condition?

Complex long bone fracture Signup and view all the answers

What is the time frame within which urgent conditions must be treated?

Up to 2 hours Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of secondary triage?

Determining which patient among similar categories has a higher priority Signup and view all the answers

In the START system, what is indicated by a patient who cannot walk and has a respiratory rate of 20 and a capillary refill time of 1?

They require urgent care Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conditions falls under the emergent category requiring immediate treatment?

Cardiac arrest Signup and view all the answers

When does secondary triage typically occur during an emergency situation?

On extended duration events and before transport Signup and view all the answers

What type of patients would be categorized as nonurgent?

Patients with mild injuries requiring follow-up care Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct order of patient management from triage to definitive care?

Immediate, Urgent, Delayed Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario does not represent a condition that requires immediate treatment?

Stable patient with a broken wrist Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of a treatment area during emergency response?

To prioritize patients according to their triage category Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Triage

Triage is a method of quickly identifying victims who have immediately life-threatening injuries and who have the best chance of surviving
Triage is used when casualties exceed the number of skilled rescuers
Triage aims to balance EMS resources and the number of casualties/injured
Triage sorting optimizes the survival of the most patients and ensures efficient resource allocation

Types of Triage

Primary: Performed on-scene prior to movement
Secondary: Dependent on the incident, typically performed prior to or during transport

Triage Coding

Immediate: Priority 1, Red Tag - Patients with life-threatening injuries requiring immediate treatment
Urgent: Priority 2, Yellow Tag - Patients with serious injuries requiring treatment within 2 hours
Delayed: Priority 3, Green Tag - Patients with non-life-threatening injuries that can be treated later
Dead: Priority 0, Black Tag - Patients with fatal injuries and no chance of survival

START (Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment)

Step 1: Assess the scene for safety
Step 2: Evaluate the patient's breathing - Is there an airway? Are they breathing?
Step 3: Assess breathing rate and quality – If breathing, is the rate adequate and the quality good?
Step 4: Checking for circulation: Capillary Refill Time (CRT): Is the blood circulating sufficiently?
Step 5: Assess mental status: Can the patient respond to commands?

START Exercise Examples

Walking patients: Consider a green tag (delayed)
Confused patients: Consider a yellow tag (urgent)
Patients not breathing: Consider a red tag (immediate)
Patients unable to walk, but with adequate breathing and circulation: Consider a yellow tag (urgent)

Secondary Triage

Purpose: To determine within a similar priority category which patient has a higher priority
Occurrence: Typically occurs on longer-duration events when treatment areas are established
Process: Used to prioritize patients for transport

From Triage to Treatment

Immediate Patients: Transported by ambulances to hospitals (H).
Urgent Patients: Transported by ambulances, ambulettes, or buses to hospitals (H)
Delayed Patients: Transported to appropriate facilities

Hospital Triage System

Emergent: Requires immediate treatment (within 15-30 minutes) for life-threatening conditions
Urgent: Requires treatment within 2 hours for serious conditions that could deteriorate into critical situations
Nonurgent: Conditions that can wait more than 2 hours without a likelihood of deterioration

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Test your knowledge on the principles of triage, including its purpose, types, and coding classifications. This quiz covers the immediate, urgent, delayed, and dead patient categories. Understand how triage optimizes resource allocation in emergency situations.