What is triage?

• A. Prioritizing patient care based on severity when resources are limited.
• B. Discharging patients in order of arrival.
• C. Examining all patients in random order.
• D. Assessing only the most severely ill patients.

Answer: (A)

Triage is the process of prioritizing patient care based on how urgently they need treatment and how much benefit they’ll get from it when resources are limited. In busy or disaster settings, clinicians do a quick assessment and sort people into priorities so those with life-threatening but treatable conditions get attention first, while less urgent cases are managed or delayed as needed. This approach aims to save the most lives and use scarce supplies and staff efficiently, rather than simply discharging by arrival, examining people in random order, or focusing only on the most severely ill.