After a radioactive explosion, a group of nurses must use reverse triage to identify which patients should be decontaminated first and which others wait for treatment. Of the following, which is the correct order in which to process the victims of this event?
Explanation
•Decontaminate those with the fewest injuries first, then move on to those with minor injuries and effects from the blast. Last, address the needs of those with more serious injuries.
•Reverse triage is a principle used in cases of disaster, and it is about prioritizing the survival of the greatest number of people instead of focusing on those with the more serious injuries. Reverse triage also frees up available beds and resources faster by avoiding a backlog of people with minor injuries waiting for treatment.
•Those who are ambulatory and have very few injuries are decontaminated and treated and released to avoid further injury. Then those with minor injuries are helped, and then those with more significant injuries are helped last.