Disaster Triage Nursing (Color Tag System & START Method) for Mass Casualty

Summary

In this lecture, Sarah Thread Sterner explains the color-coded tag system and START method for disaster triage. The system categorizes patients into red, yellow, green, or black based on the urgency of their treatment. The START method quickly assesses a patient's breathing, circulation, and mental status to assign a color tag, prioritizing those most in need of immediate care.

Takeaways

• 😀 Triage is the process of grouping or ranking patients based on their condition to prioritize treatment.
• 🚑 In disaster situations, triage is crucial due to limited resources and personnel, necessitating efficient allocation.
• 🏥 The color-coded tag system categorizes patients into four groups: red, yellow, green, and black, indicating priority and type of injuries.
• 🚨 Red-tagged patients require immediate treatment as they have life-threatening but potentially survivable injuries.
• 🔶 Yellow-tagged patients have serious injuries but can have treatment delayed as their vitals are currently stable.
• 🟢 Green-tagged patients, often referred to as 'walking wounded,' have minor injuries and can wait for treatment.
• ⚫ Black-tagged patients are either dying or dead, with injuries so severe they are unlikely to survive.
• 🚦 The START method (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) helps assign color tags to patients during disasters.
• 🚶‍♂️ Patients who can walk are automatically tagged green, indicating they are stable and can self-care.
• 🏃‍♂️ For non-ambulatory patients, assessment of breathing, circulation, and neuro/mental status determines their tag color.
• ⏰ The START method is quick and easy to use, prioritizing patients based on immediate life threats and potential for survival.

Q & A

What does the word 'triage' mean in the context of healthcare?

Triage in healthcare refers to the process of grouping or ranking patients based on their signs and symptoms to determine the priority of their treatment.

How does the triage process differ in a disaster situation compared to a regular healthcare setting?

In a disaster situation, triage involves managing a large number of wounded individuals with limited resources, requiring a more efficient and prioritized approach to allocate medical attention effectively.

What are the four color-coded tags used in disaster triage?

The four color-coded tags used in disaster triage are red, yellow, green, and black, each representing a different level of urgency and priority for treatment.

Which color-coded tag represents the highest priority for treatment and why?

The red tag represents the highest priority for treatment because it indicates patients with life-threatening but potentially survivable injuries that require immediate care.

What types of injuries might lead to a patient being tagged with a red color-coded tag?

Injuries such as severe spinal cord injuries, shock (neurogenic or cardiogenic), severe bleeding, significant burns, and severe respiratory trauma can lead to a red tag due to their life-threatening nature.

How does the color-coded tag system help in managing resources during a disaster?

The color-coded tag system helps by categorizing patients into groups based on the severity of their injuries and the urgency of their need for treatment, allowing medical personnel to allocate resources wisely.

What does the START method stand for and how is it used in disaster triage?

START stands for Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment. It is a tool used to quickly assess and assign a color-coded tag to wounded individuals during a disaster to determine their priority for treatment.

Why is the ability to walk an important factor in assigning a green tag using the START method?

The ability to walk indicates that a patient has adequate breathing, circulation, and mental status, which means their injuries are not life-threatening and can be treated with a delay, hence they are tagged green.

What are the criteria for assigning a yellow tag to a patient using the START method?

A patient is assigned a yellow tag if they are breathing with a respiratory rate less than 30, have a positive radial pulse or capillary refill less than 2 seconds, and can follow commands, indicating a serious but not immediately life-threatening condition.

What are the criteria for assigning a black tag to a patient using the START method?

A black tag is assigned if a patient is not breathing even after airway repositioning, or if they have no radial pulse and a capillary refill time greater than 2 seconds, indicating that their injuries are so severe they are unlikely to survive.