- If faced with large number of casualties need to prioritise management
- Aim is to 'do the most for the most'
- Triage is the sorting of casualties by priority of treatment
- Performed by a 'Triage officer' who assesses casualties without giving treatment
- Divides patients into categories
- Casualties may be given coloured triage label
Triage categories
| Cat |
Definition |
Colour |
Treatment |
Example |
| P1 |
Life-threatening |
Red |
Immediate |
Tension pneumothorax |
| P2 |
Urgent |
Yellow |
Urgent |
Fractured femur |
| P3 |
Minor |
Green |
Delayed |
Sprained ankle |
| P4 |
Dead |
White |
|
|
Method of triage
- Triage can be performed rapidly by assessing
- Ability to walk
- Airway
- Respiratory rate
- Pulse rate or capillary return
Bibliography
Hirshberg A, Holcomb J B, Mattox K L. Hospital trauma care in multiple-casualty incident : a critical
review. Ann Emerg Med 2001; 37: 647-652.
Kennedy K, Aghababian R V, Gans L, Lewis C P. Triage: techniques and applications in decision
making. Ann Emerg Med 1996; 28: 136-144. |