Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

In a triage situation, how would you categorize a patient with bilateral femur fractures who is conscious and alert?

1. Immediate (red)

2. Delayed (yellow)

3. Minor (green)

4. Expectant (black)

The correct answer is: Delayed (yellow)

In a triage situation, the categorization of a patient is based on the severity of their injuries and the immediacy of their need for medical intervention. A patient with bilateral femur fractures who is conscious and alert would be classified as "delayed" or yellow. This designation indicates that the patient has serious injuries that require treatment but are not life-threatening at that moment. The fact that the patient is conscious and alert suggests they are stable enough to wait for treatment compared to those who are in immediate danger or have life-threatening injuries. Yellow-tagged patients typically need to be monitored closely and should receive medical attention after those with immediate needs, like those experiencing difficulty breathing or severe hemorrhage. In contrast, classifications such as immediate, minor, or expectant apply to patients with more critical or less serious conditions. Immediate patients have conditions requiring urgent care, while minor patients have injuries that can wait, and expectant patients are unlikely to survive regardless of treatment. The conscious state of the patient with bilateral femur fractures plays a crucial role in determining that they are not in immediate danger, thus justifying the "delayed" categorization.