In mass casualty triage for apneic patients with a pulse, if the patient regains breathing after ventilation, how should they be triaged?

• A. Immediate
• B. Delayed
• C. Minimal
• D. Expectant

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that triage sorts patients by how urgently they need life-saving care. For someone who was apneic but had a pulse, you first provide ventilation to restore breathing. If breathing returns, the immediate airway threat is resolved, and the patient is no longer an immediate life-threat.

With breathing established and a pulse present, the patient is considered stable enough to wait for care rather than needing immediate interventions. That puts them in the green “minimal” category, meaning they have minor injuries or needs and can be managed after those with more serious, time-sensitive conditions.

If they still showed severe injuries or couldn’t walk or follow commands, they might be moved to a higher priority (delayed). The “expectant” category is for patients with injuries unlikely to be survivable despite resources.