Under what conditions should a nurse tag a client with red during triage?

When triaging clients, the color-coded system is used to prioritize care based on the severity of conditions. A client tagged with red in triage indicates immediate, life-threatening conditions that require urgent medical attention.

In this context, a client experiencing hemorrhage is categorized as a red tag because hemorrhage can quickly lead to significant blood loss, shock, and even death if not addressed promptly. Urgent interventions to stop the bleeding are critical to stabilize the client, making this condition a priority for immediate care.

Other situations, such as minor lacerations or fractures without hemorrhage, typically do not pose an immediate threat to life and would be categorized differently, showing that they can wait for care. Food poisoning, while it can be serious, often requires time for symptoms to develop and may not necessitate immediate transfer to treatment unless severe symptoms are present.