A victim of a nearby factory fire presents with a respiratory rate of 28. What color tag should be assigned?

In a triage situation, the color tagging system is used to prioritize patient treatment based on the severity of their condition. The categories typically are:

• Red: Indicates immediate treatment is necessary because the patient has life-threatening injuries but could potentially survive with immediate intervention.

• Yellow: Indicates that the patient has serious injuries but can wait for treatment as they are not in immediate danger.

• Green: Indicates minor injuries, where the patient doesn’t require immediate care and can wait for longer periods.

• Black: Indicates death or a level of injuries that are not survivable, where no further intervention would be beneficial.

In this case, a respiratory rate of 28 indicates tachypnea, which can be a sign of respiratory distress or deterioration. While it suggests the need for closer observation and potential intervention, it does not automatically categorize the patient as needing immediate life-saving treatment, as would be the case for someone in severe respiratory failure or shock. This places the patient in a situation where they would fall under the yellow tag category, meaning they require medical assistance but do not meet the criteria for immediate life-threatening intervention that a red tag would signify. Consequently, assigning a yellow tag is appropriate because, while the patient warrants attention, there are others who may be in