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Drowning coughing casualty — DipIMC MCQ

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ModerateEnvironmental MedicineDrowning coughing casualtyDipIMC

After multiple swimmers are rescued, one adult cannot walk due to exhaustion and has persistent cough with respiratory rate 28/min and pulse 112/min. What is the triage category?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: B — Priority 2 (yellow)

Option B is correct because Non-walking status with respiratory rate below immediate threshold and no shock signs is Priority 2, needing reassessment. Option E is less appropriate because Priority 1 is reserved for immediate life-saving needs or severe physiological compromise; option D is less appropriate because Priority 3 is for walking wounded or minor casualties with stable physiology. Option C is less appropriate because expectant triage is used in exceptional resource-limited circumstances; option A is less appropriate because the stem does not meet criteria for death assignment. Clinical pearl: in DipIMC-style questions, the best answer is the intervention that changes outcome earliest in the pre-hospital phase.

Reference: MIMMS; NHS Major Incident Triage Tool