Triage Flashcards
Define triage
“To sort”
Sorting patients based on our assessment of them into the order that they need to be seen
Why is triage necessary?
Limited resources (time, personnel, space, supplies/equipment)
T/F: When triaging, it is important to perform a full neurologic exam
False - abbreviated - where you assess mentation or seizure activity
3 major organs involved in triaging
Heart
Brain
Lungs
With practice, how long should a true triage assessment take?
1 minute
Define dull
Responds w less vigor than normal
Define stuporous
Only respond to noxious stimuli (Ex. Poking in the eye, bumping a fractured leg)
Define comatose
No response whatsoever
Define demented
Responds inappropriately to stimuli
Respiratory assessment looks at
Effort & Rate
What is the most important piece of equipment for the cardiovascular assessment?
Thermometer - assesses perfusion
Normal dog and cat HR
Dog: 60-120bpm
Cat: 180-240bpm
What heart rate changes should you look for when triaging dogs vs. cats?
Dogs - tachycardia
Cats - bradycardia
What is one of the first identifiers of hypotension that you can get during your triage?
Elevated HR
When in shock, cats tend to become __________
Bradycardic - may be d/t decompensation?
Where does the color in your gums come from?
Hemoglobin (specifically, oxyhemoglobin)
What does a CRT of <1 second indicate?
Vasodilation
Normal CRT
1-2 seconds
T/F: All mentation changes are attributable to a primary brain problem
False - Mentation is affected by perfusion to the brain
Why do we care more about hypothermia than a fever?
Indicates poor perfusion - shunting blood away from the periphery to maintain blood flow to the core
Two patients present to the ER at the exact same time. How do you decide who to treat first?
Triage both patients to assess who needs to be seen more urgently.
What are the three major body assessments performed during a triage?
Neurologic assessment
Cardiovascular assessment
Respiratory assessment
A happy, bouncy Labrador rolls through the doors of your ER 10 minutes after his owner watched him swallow a pair of underwear. During your triage, you note his temperature to be 103.2F, CRT <1s, and MM bright pink. Discuss how this dog might triage on an extremely busy day.
Obviously the dog needs to be seen b/c we wanna get those undies out, but based on his mentation, energy levels, and attitude, I am less concerned about the hyperthermia, shortened CRT, and MM.
