Certified Medical Assistant (CMA AAMA)Clinical Workflow and Patient IntakeHard
During a mass casualty incident, a first responder using the START triage method encounters a patient who is not breathing even after the airway is repositioned. According to START triage protocol, how should this patient be categorized?
- AGreen - minor
- BYellow - delayed
- CRed - immediate
- DBlack - deceased/expectant
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Black - deceased/expectant
In the START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) system, a patient who remains apneic after airway repositioning is categorized as black, indicating deceased or expectant (non-salvageable given available resources). This allows responders to prioritize resources toward salvageable patients.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Incorrect; green indicates walking wounded with minor injuries.
- B. Incorrect; yellow indicates delayed care for stable but injured patients.
- C. Incorrect; red is reserved for patients with a pulse who are breathing after airway repositioning but have life-threatening issues.
START Triage Categories
START triage classifies mass casualty patients into four color categories: red (immediate), yellow (delayed), green (minor), and black (deceased/expectant, non-salvageable).
- Black = apneic after airway repositioning
- Red = immediate life-threatening but salvageable
- Yellow = delayed, stable but injured
- Green = minor, walking wounded
Memory trick: Reposition airway, no breath means black