Emergency Triage
Who do you save FIRST?
Or let's learn to Prioritize in emergency triage
| Emergency Triage | Examples |
|---|---|
 | Priority: Stop and Save NOW Think ABC Airway anything such as swelling & obstructions Shock Hemorrhage Unstable Wounds (expected to survive) Chest Trauma ALOC Important: Expected to Survive |
 | Major Injuries that require treatment but can wait up to 2 hours Anyone who needs treatment within 30 minutes to 2 hours Open Fractures If treatment is delayed will not die Large wounds that can wait |
 | Minor injuries that can wait from 2 to 4 hours Immediate treatment not necessary The walking wounded Close fractures (not bleeding) Infections Minor burns and lacerations Contusions not in distress Of course, a major chest contusion is Red Tag. |
 | Expected to die Poor prognosis whether treated or not Morgue No pulse, not breathing and expected to die Severe brain trauma Full thickness burns of >60% Total BSA A cardiac arrest (DEAD) Go save the living |
Let's test what you have learned before moving on
Before Expanding each tab, guess the color of the tag for each scenario. Remember you are in a disaster situation and you must triage!
Yellow tag. Of course, if the client is hemorrhaging it turns into a red tag.
Yellow tag, but burns over face, trunk, and chest are red tag! Why? Because they are now an airway/breathing problem or ABC
- Black tag. Clients with extensive wounds that are not expected to survive go here.
- Clients with many penetrating wounds and unresponsive/Stuporous clients are black tag since not expected to survive.
Red tag. Alive patient. ABC’s are red tag, if expected to survive.Â
- Green Tag. Can wait from 2 to 4 hours since the injury is not life-threatening.
- Other examples: lacerations, minor wounds, minor bleeding, & sprained wrist.
Green Tag. If treatment is delayed, client will still live.
Green Tag.Â
RED TAG. Good job. ABC. Circulation is compromised. That if they tell you that they may not make it, then black tag.
Expected to live. Red TAG
Black tag. Not expected to survive. And even if he/she survives, brain damage is expected
Red tag. Pneumothorax. Will a simple chest tube save this client? Likely.