In which among the following disaster a victim can be triaged with red color code?

AIIMS Rishikesh NO - 2019

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Rishikesh NO - 2019

Explanation

The red color tag signifies the 'Immediate' category in disaster triage.
This category is for victims with severe, life-threatening injuries who have a high chance of survival with immediate treatment.
A severe abdominal injury is classified as red because of the high risk of internal bleeding (hemorrhage) and shock, which are life-threatening conditions requiring rapid intervention.
The principle of triage is to do the most good for the greatest number of people, and treating this victim immediately offers a high likelihood of saving their life.

Option A: A victim who is already dead is categorized as Black (Expectant/Deceased). In a mass casualty incident, resources are not allocated to those who are already deceased.
Option B: An immobilized closed fracture is a serious injury, but it is not immediately life-threatening. The victim is stable and can wait for medical care.
Option C: Minor tissue injuries are classified as Green (Minimal). These are non-urgent injuries, and the victims are often referred to as the 'walking wounded'.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Disaster Triage and Color Coding (START Method) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
The primary goal of disaster triage is to do the most good for the greatest number of casualties when resources are limited.
Nurses use a rapid assessment method, often remembered by the mnemonic RPM (Respirations, Perfusion, Mental Status), to triage patients in under 30-60 seconds.
Triage is a dynamic process. A victim's condition can change, requiring continuous re-assessment. A victim initially tagged as Yellow could deteriorate and need to be upgraded to Red.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify that the question is asking about disaster triage color coding, a core concept in emergency and community health nursing.
Recall the four main triage categories and their corresponding colors: Red (Immediate), Yellow (Delayed), Green (Minimal), and Black (Expectant/Deceased).
Focus on the criteria for the 'Red' category: life-threatening injuries that are survivable with immediate care.
Evaluate each option against this 'Red' criteria.
Analyze 'Severe abdominal injury': This implies a high risk of internal bleeding and shock, which is life-threatening and requires immediate intervention. This fits the Red category.
Analyze the other options: 'Already dead' is Black. 'Immobilized closed fracture' is serious but not immediately life-threatening, making it Yellow. 'Minor tissue injuries' are non-urgent, making it Green. This confirms the correct choice.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QVIFKJGjXjncJhOXVhM1m8

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart B (pp 276-535 of 550) p. 179-181

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 2 Part 3 pp. 120-122, 113-115