START triage: stands for Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment; first criterion?

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Multiple Choice

START triage: stands for Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment; first criterion?

In START triage, speed is everything, so the very first screen is whether the person can walk. If they can move to a safe area, they’re tagged green, meaning minor injuries that don’t require immediate life-saving care. This walking/wounded distinction is the fastest way to separate those who can be evacuated right away from the rest who may need urgent treatment. The other criteria—breathing after opening the airway, capillary refill time, and systolic blood pressure—are applied only after it’s clear someone can’t walk, to sort those who need red (immediate) versus yellow (delayed) care.

In START triage, speed is everything, so the very first screen is whether the person can walk. If they can move to a safe area, they’re tagged green, meaning minor injuries that don’t require immediate life-saving care. This walking/wounded distinction is the fastest way to separate those who can be evacuated right away from the rest who may need urgent treatment. The other criteria—breathing after opening the airway, capillary refill time, and systolic blood pressure—are applied only after it’s clear someone can’t walk, to sort those who need red (immediate) versus yellow (delayed) care.

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