Major Incident Planning and Support (MIP+S) Level 3

100 videos, 6 hours and 37 minutes

Course Content

Triage categories

Video 25 of 100
3 min 32 sec
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Triage Categories in Emergency Care Explained

Understanding Triage Categories

When patients arrive for triage, they are categorised based on the severity of their condition:

  • Immediate Response (Red Category): Patients needing urgent attention within zero minutes, typically directed to the resuscitation area. Examples include compromised airways or severe trauma.
  • Very Urgent (Orange Category): Patients requiring attention within 10 minutes. This includes cases such as active bleeding or high pain scores necessitating IV analgesia.
  • Urgent (Yellow Category): Patients needing assessment within 60 minutes, often treated in majors or ambulatory units. Examples include conditions like cellulitis requiring IV antibiotics.
  • Standard (Green Category): Patients with less acute conditions, to be seen within 120 minutes. Includes minor injuries or referrals from GPs not suitable for walk-in centres.
  • Non-urgent (Blue Category): Patients requiring assessment within 240 minutes. These cases may be referred to community services, their GP, or a minor injuries unit.

Implementation Across Hospitals

Despite variations in physical locations, the triage categorisation process remains consistent across hospitals:

  • The categorisation does not alter the response time or outcome, ensuring uniformity in emergency care.
  • Each hospital designates specific areas for different triage categories, such as resuscitation for red patients.

Understanding these categories helps streamline patient care and ensures appropriate prioritisation in emergency departments.