Following an earthquake, patients are triaged by emergency ...

[krzymel]

Following an earthquake, patients are triaged by emergency medical personnel and are transported to the emergency department (ED). Which patient will the nurse need to assess first?
 
  a. A patient with a red tag
  b. A patient with a blue tag
  c. A patient with a black tag
  d. A patient with a yellow tag

Question 2

Family members are in the patient's room when the patient has a cardiac arrest and the staff start resuscitation measures. Which action should the nurse take next?
 
  a. Keep the family in the room and assign a staff member to explain the care given and answer questions.
  b. Ask the family to wait outside the patient's room with a designated staff member to provide emotional support.
  c. Ask the family members about whether they would prefer to remain in the patient's room or wait outside the room.
  d. Tell the family members that patients are comforted by having family members present during resuscitation efforts.

[batool]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
The red tag indicates a patient with a life-threatening injury requiring rapid treatment. The other tags indicate patients with less urgent injuries or those who are likely to die.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
Although many family members and patients report benefits from family presence during resuscitation efforts, the nurse's initial action should be to determine the preference of these family members. The other actions may be appropriate, but this will depend on what is learned when assessing family preferences.