What is the purpose of triage?

Answer 1

Triage is a process first aid, clinical and medical personnel use to classify patients according to seriousness so treatment and resources can be prioritized.

Often, first aiders and ambulance personnel are called to attend Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI). An MCI is defined as a situation where the number of patients outnumber the number of first aiders or resources available for standard treatment procedures to be followed.

When triaging, patients are classified into the following categories, each with a colour and description tag:

0. Deceased - White/Black - no treatment needed.

1. Critical - Red - unlikely to make recovery, treatment should be prioritized for other patients who have a greater chance of surviving.

2. Serious - Yellow - prompt intervention needed .

3. Moderate - Green - intervention needed but can be delayed

4. Minor - Green - only minor intervention needed. These are often bystanders or witnesses of the accident. They can also be used as assistants for holding a dressing in place, calling for help etc

Effective and efficient triaging requires some practice.

Answer 2

To quickly determine who can be helped, who needs no immediate help, and who cannot be helped.

Answer 3

It is the process of determining which injuries on a patient have priority and are most important.