How should nurses prioritize assessment during a mass casualty incident?

In a mass casualty incident, the primary goal for nurses and other first responders is to save as many lives as possible. This is achieved by prioritizing those who present with life-threatening conditions. Addressing life-threatening cases first ensures that the most critical patients receive immediate attention and care, which can significantly improve their chances of survival.

This triage approach is fundamental in emergency management and is based on the principles of triage, where patients are categorized based on the severity of their conditions. By focusing on life-threatening cases, nurses can effectively allocate limited resources to those who need it the most, thus maximizing the overall efficacy of the response to the incident.

Other approaches, such as treating everyone equally or focusing on non-threatening cases, can lead to delays in care for patients at risk of imminent death or significant morbidity. While evaluating administrative needs is important in an overall response strategy, it does not directly impact patient care during the critical initial moments of a mass casualty situation. Therefore, prioritizing life-threatening conditions aligns with the best practices in emergency nursing and disaster response.