In an emergency situation, paramedics and other first responders must often make rapid assessments of the casualties that they encounter. This can be a challenging task, as they must quickly determine who needs help most urgently, while also prioritising those with more serious or life-threatening conditions. To aid in this process, first responders use specialised Triage Equipment such as SMART tags and SMART Tape, which help them to categorise patients according to their level of need.

These tools enable first responders to quickly identify those who require immediate medical attention, while also ensuring that more seriously injured individuals are not overlooked. Furthermore, using triage equipment in this way enables first responders to devote additional resources where they are needed most, allowing them to provide care to as many people as possible during a crisis situation. Overall, the use of triage equipment is crucial for ensuring that individuals in emergencies receive the care that they need.

When Is Triage Used?

Triage is often used in an emergency situation in the field to help first responders quickly assess the needs of each individual casualty and should be in every EMT Bag. An incident could arise from a natural disaster, terrorist attack or within a war zone. It could also be at a music festival that’s had a crowd surge or after a motor vehicle pile-up.

Triage equipment is an essential tool for making these assessments, as it enables responders to efficiently gather important information about each patient’s injuries and conditions. This information can then be used to determine which patients should be treated first and which ones can wait a bit longer. In addition, triage equipment also helps responders make faster decisions about when it is appropriate and safe to move casualties, as well as when transfers might need to be prioritised.

A hospital triage is a system used to allocate scarce resources such as hospital beds, operating theatres and intensive care units (ICU) to hospital patients. The members of hospital staff who are responsible for allocating these resources are called triage nurses. Triage assessment generally takes no more than two to five minutes.

Triage nurses use a number of factors to assess how urgently a patient needs to be seen by a doctor. These factors include the patient’s age, the severity of their symptoms and whether they have any pre-existing medical conditions. Patients are then allocated a triage category based on the time in which they need medical attention. 

Whether in hospital settings or out in the field, triage equipment plays a crucial role in ensuring that people get the care they need as quickly as possible.

A simple way to look at triage is like rationing. When there are not enough resources at hand to treat the number of casualties, it provides a method to address the most critical short term needs.

How Does Triage Work?

Triage systems vary across nations and organisations, ranging from verbal in an unusual situations to clearly defined coloured or category tagging systems. In practice, they all work in the same way by deciding on priority.

The Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) is the most commonly used triage system in Australia. It is a five-level system that ranges from ‘immediate’ ( Level 1) to ‘non-urgent’ (Level 5). Level 1 patients are seen immediately, while Level 5 patients are generally given 120 minutes or may be recommended an appointment to see a doctor at a later date. 

• ATS Category 1 — Require Immediate Treatment
• ATS Category 2 — Respond In 10 Minutes
• ATS Category 3 — Respond In 30 Minutes
• ATS Category 4 — Respond In 60 Minutes
• ATS Category 5 — Respond In 120 Minutes 

Prepare Your Triage Equipment Pack With Midmed

At Midmed, we specialise in triage equipment for use in emergency and hospital environments. Our products are designed to help medical professionals quickly triage an injured or ill patient, enabling them to provide the appropriate treatment as quickly as possible.

Whether you’re looking for triage labels, triage stretchers, or other essential triage supplies, we have everything you need right here at Midmed. If you’re a healthcare worker at a hospital or a first responder with an ambulance squad, we’ve got the triage equipment that you need. This includes lightweight and portable triage bags, category tags, specialised tape for pediatric casualties and education material to train staff.

Give yourself the edge you need to save lives when minutes matter most. Shop at Midmed today and discover why medical professionals rely on our triage equipment. 

If you would like to learn more, please get in touch with our friendly staff.