Triage

Question 1

Triage assumes that we have limited ____.

Answer 1

Resources
Time, personnel, space and supplies

We must sort patient based on urgency so that the most critical patients are receiving those limited resources

Question 2

T/F triage only occurs once when an animal presents to the hospital

Answer 2

False- we are constantly reevaluating patients and their triage status

Question 3

How long should triage take?

Answer 3

60 seconds

Question 4

Which 3 major body systems should you be assessing briefly in your triage exam and why these 3 only?

Answer 4

Circulatory, respiratory, CNS
Because these keep you alive

Question 5

What 2 things should you be quickly assessing as a part of the neurological assessment of triage?

Answer 5

Mentation and are they actively seizing

Question 6

____ mentation means responding to all stimuli but with less vigor than normal

Answer 6

Dull

Question 7

_____ mentation means only responding to noxious stimuli.

Answer 7

Stuporous

Question 8

____ mentation means not responding to any stimuli at all.

Answer 8

Comatose

Question 9

_____ mentation means responding inappropriately to stimuli.

Answer 9

Demented

Question 10

T/F you do not need your stethoscope for triage?

Answer 10

True

Question 11

What 3 things are you assessing about the respiratory system during your traige?

Answer 11

1) are they breathing
2) what is their effort
3) what is the rate?

Question 12

What is the only piece of actual equipment you need to assess the cardiovascular system during triage?

Answer 12

Thermometer which assess perfusion

Question 13

What parameters can you assess quickly in your triage to evaluate perfusion in your patient?

Answer 13

Heart rate
MM color
CRT
Mentation
temperature
pulse quality

Question 14

In dogs ____ heart rate is more concerning

Answer 14

Tachycardiac (>120)
Higher may be okay if they are excited, happy, agitated so take context into consideration

Question 15

Cardiac output=

Answer 15

Stroke volume X Heart rate

Question 16

BP=

Answer 16

CO X SVR

Question 17

in cats ___ heart rate is more concerning.

Answer 17

bradycardic (<180)
Cats become bradycardic in shock.

Question 18

Where does the color of the mucous membrane come from?

Answer 18

Hemoglobin
Pink gums= oxygemoglobin
Blue gums= deoxyhemoglobin
Brown gums= methemoglobin (damaged hemoglobin)
White gums= no hemoglobin
Yellow gums= bilirubin (a byproduct of hemoglobin breakdown)

Question 19

T/F you should assume that a patient with pink gums have an appropriate pulse ox

Answer 19

False

Question 20

What is a normal CRT?

Answer 20

1-2 seconds

Question 21

What CRT indicates vasodilation?

Answer 21

CRT <1 second

Question 22

What CRT indicates vasoconstriciton?

Answer 22

CRT >2 seconds

Question 23

How can mentation give you information about perfusion?

Answer 23

Thr brain needs oxygen and sugar from the blood to operate appropriately. If a patient is not perfusing appropriately, the brain becomes deprived of these things and mentation is altered/
You should treat the perfusion first then reassess mentaiton

Question 24

T/F the worse the mentation, the more urgently a patient should be seen and treated.

Answer 24

True

Question 25

Which temperature extreme are we MOST concerned about in your patients?

Answer 25

hypothermia
When we are cold, we vasoconstrict and vasoconstriction will make us cold.

Question 26

What are the 3 pulse qualities?

Answer 26

Normal
Weak
Bounding

Question 27

T/F respiratory distress requires urgent intervention

Answer 27

True

Question 28

T/F Triage is about severity of the disease, not urgency of the intervention?

Answer 28

False – opposite