Triage urgent absent radial pulse — DipIMC MCQ

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ModerateMajor Incident ManagementTriage urgent absent radial pulseDipIMC

A non-walking casualty from a building collapse is breathing 22/min but has no radial pulse after bleeding is controlled. What is the triage category?

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Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: E — Priority 1

Priority 1 is the best answer because absent radial pulse after basic haemorrhage control indicates poor perfusion and immediate priority. Untriaged is less appropriate because leaving the casualty untriaged undermines casualty flow and command; Priority 2 is less appropriate because Priority 2 indicates urgent care after immediate casualties are managed. Priority 3 and Dead are also suboptimal because they move attention away from the key pre-hospital priority.. The key DipIMC principle is to treat immediate reversible threats, communicate clearly and move the patient toward the right definitive care.

Reference: MIMMS Major Incident Medical Management and Support; NHS England Major Incident Triage Tool