The principles of triage during a Major Incident are to do the most good for the most people.
Those who are least injured, will have the ability to help themselves. They will need help, but their risk is low and they have the ability to wait. The priority is to enable them to move from the danger zone and deal with their needs when the incident situation is improving.
The most injured during a disaster situation are, sadly, beyond the ability of the available resources. These are those individuals who have catastrophic injury and are likely to die imminently. The immediate needs of this group of patients are related to the need to provide humane care - usually pain relief.
The priority 1 patients are those with severe, treatable injury who are likely to recover. These patients will be the priority for the responders on scene and will be treated urgently.
All major hospitals will have a Major Incident Policy which is designed to help with the immediate management of these situations. I am part of the team of Major Incident co-or donators in our Level 1 Trauma Unit - we have just rewritten our policy and have had to spend some time deciding how to treat those patients for whom there is no chance of survival.
A tough decision.
But when resource is limited, that resource must be directed towards those who will benefit the most.
It is not palatable. But there is no other way.
Read other related questions on Quora:
- Do they send psychologists to help with major natural disasters or just first responders?
- In the instance of a natural disaster, who are the first forces that are called in to help?
- What starting position in basketball gets injured the least? Why?
from Quora http://ift.tt/29sB3ZT
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