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Principles of Medical Triage Explained

1. Triage is a process for sorting injured people based on need for immediate medical treatment and allocating limited resources. 2. There are three main types of triage - MASS, START, and Advanced - used in different situations depending on resources. 3. MASS triage sorts by ability to move, START by respiration, perfusion, and mental status, and Advanced provides full assessment.

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79 views10 pages

Principles of Medical Triage Explained

1. Triage is a process for sorting injured people based on need for immediate medical treatment and allocating limited resources. 2. There are three main types of triage - MASS, START, and Advanced - used in different situations depending on resources. 3. MASS triage sorts by ability to move, START by respiration, perfusion, and mental status, and Advanced provides full assessment.

Uploaded by

helloa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Principles of TRIAGE - Medical

point of view
22.9.2014
Jouni Pousi
Principles
• Triage is derived from Old French word “trier”
which means “to sort”
• A process for sorting injured people into groups
based on their need for or likely benefit from
immediate medical treatment.
• Triage is used in hospital emergency rooms, on
battlefields, and at disaster sites when limited
medical resources must be allocated
• 75 -85% of fatalities occur within first 20 minutes
About triage
Tree types of triage
• MASS triage
• S.T.A.R.T. triage
• ADVANCED triage
Why so many types
• MASS triage -divides patients into triage categories
based on their ability to move
• S.T.A.R.T. triage -determines the severity of injuries
• Advanced triage -more fully assess injury priorities
MASS Triage (Move, Assess, Sort, Send )
• Move: “Everyone who can hear me and needs medical
attention, please move to a designated area now!”
(Green) Minimal or ambulatory.
• Assess: Non-ambulatory “Everyone who can raise an
arm or leg.” Doing the most good for the most victims.
• Sort: Proceed immediately to remaining victims. Re-
assess!
S.T.A.R.T.
• Developed in California in the early 1980s by the
Newport Beach Fire and Marine and the Hoag Hospital.

• The Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment (START)


system was developed to allow first responders to triage
multiple victims in 30 seconds or less, based on three
primary observations: Respiration, Perfusion, and Mental
Status (RPM).

• The START system is designed to assist rescuers to find


the most seriously injured patients. As more rescue
personnel arrive on the scene, the patients will be re-
triaged for further evaluation, treatment, stabilization,
and transportation.
• This system allows first responders to open blocked
airways and stop severe bleeding quickly.
Flowchart
About triage
• If borderline decision are encountered,
always triage to the most urgent priority
• Example: If unsure whether the patient is
green or yellow, the patient should be
tagged yellow
Advanced Triage

• Advanced Triage will be performed on all


victims in the Treatment Area by medical
teams
• Utilize the Triage Tags and attempt to
assess for and complete all information
required (as time permit)
• The Triage priority determined in the
Treatment Area should be the priority used
for transport
Triage reminder
1. You DO NOT decide who lives or dies
2. The sooner your start Triage the sooner the
medical care process starts
3. Triage is an ongoing process that is
repeated many times
4. If you forget any of the above rules, go
back to rule number 1.

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