ATLS Triage and Mass Casualty Incidents

Question 1

In the START triage system, what is the first assessment step performed?

Accepted Answer

Instruct all ambulatory patients to move to a designated area, tagging them as Minor (Green)

Answer

Check respiratory rate of all patients first

Answer

Assess mental status of all patients first

Answer

Control all bleeding before categorizing patients

Question 2

In START triage, a patient has absent respirations. You reposition the airway and respirations resume at 22 breaths per minute. What color tag is assigned?

Accepted Answer

Red (Immediate)

Answer

Black (Expectant/Deceased)

Answer

Yellow (Delayed)

Answer

Green (Minor)

Question 3

Under the START triage system, which respiratory rate threshold triggers a Red (Immediate) tag without further assessment?

Accepted Answer

Greater than 30 breaths per minute

Answer

Greater than 20 breaths per minute

Answer

Less than 12 breaths per minute

Answer

Any respiratory rate above 24

Question 4

During a mass casualty incident (MCI), a Black tag is assigned to which category of patient?

Accepted Answer

Patients who are deceased or have injuries incompatible with survival given available resources

Answer

All patients who are unconscious

Answer

Patients with severe head injuries only

Answer

Patients in cardiac arrest who received CPR

Question 5

In a mass casualty event, which principle best describes the goal of triage?

Accepted Answer

Do the greatest good for the greatest number of patients

Answer

Treat the most severely injured first regardless of survival probability

Answer

Treat patients in order of arrival

Answer

Stabilize all patients before transport

Question 6

JumpSTART triage differs from START in that it is specifically designed for which patient population?

Accepted Answer

Pediatric patients under 8 years old or less than 45 kg

Answer

Geriatric patients over 65

Answer

Burn patients

Answer

Penetrating trauma victims