ITLS Triage and Mass Casualty Incidents 3

Question 1

During secondary triage at the treatment area in a MCI, rescuers should:

Accepted Answer

Reassess patients and upgrade or downgrade triage categories as conditions change

Answer

Secondary triage allows reassessment of patients at the treatment area, as conditions can change and initial triage categories may need to be updated.

Question 2

In a MCI involving a hazardous material release, EMS personnel should:

Accepted Answer

Stage in the cold zone and wait for patient decontamination before treatment

Answer

EMS personnel should not enter a contaminated zone without proper HAZMAT training and PPE; patients must be decontaminated first to prevent secondary contamination of rescuers.

Question 3

In the START algorithm, if an apneic adult patient does not begin breathing after airway repositioning, the rescuer should:

Accepted Answer

Tag the patient expectant and move to assess the next patient

Answer

In START triage (for adults), an apneic patient who does not breathe after a single airway opening maneuver is tagged expectant, as CPR is not initiated during active MCI triage.

Question 4

The 'expectant' triage category is most appropriately applied when:

Accepted Answer

Resources are overwhelmed and a patient's survival probability is extremely low even with treatment

Answer

The expectant category is reserved for patients with unsurvivable injuries when resources are limited, reflecting the MCI principle of doing the most good for the most patients.

Question 5

Which statement best describes the core ethical principle guiding triage decisions during a mass casualty incident?

Accepted Answer

Do the most good for the greatest number of patients with available resources

Answer

MCI triage is governed by the utilitarian principle of doing the most good for the greatest number of patients with the limited resources available.

ITLS - International Trauma Life Support Practice Test

ITLS - International Trauma Life Support Practice Test

ITLS Triage and Mass Casualty Incidents 3