Triage Flashcards
triage
the sorting of patients in an emergency room according to the urgency of their need for care
when does triage begin
over the phone - evaluate if a patient needs to be seen on an emergency basis
only ask for KEY history about presenting problem
red level
actively dying
needs immediate care
orange level
not actively dying but needs urgent care for severe illness/injury
yellow level
stable but will need to be attended to eventually
green level
does not need emergency care
not life threatening
what is included in a primary survey at triage
A: airway
B: breathing
C: circulation
D: disability/dysfunction
what is always the treatment for a patient with open airway but not breathing/in respiratory distress
supplemental oxygen
what is shock
indicates lack of cellular energy production
most commonly caused by inadequate blood flow to cells (circulatory shock)
perfusion parameters
- mentation
- mucus membrane color
- capillary refill time
- heart rate
- pulse quality
- extremity temperature
hypovolemic shock
caused by vasoconstriction
- obtunded
- pale MM
- slow CRT
- tachycardia in dogs, bradycardia in cats
- poor pulse quality
- cold extremities
vasodilatory shock
caused by vasodilation
- obtundation
- hyperemic MM
- rapid CRT
- tachycardia
- bounding pulses
- warm extremities
