Primary triage is best described as?

• A. Final medical assessment.
• B. Initial sorting of patients.
• C. Transportation coordination decision.
• D. Documentation of patient status.

Answer: (B)

Primary triage is the rapid initial sorting of patients at the scene to identify who needs immediate life-saving care versus who can wait for treatment. This quick categorization lets responders allocate scarce resources and prioritize the most critically injured or ill first. It happens before detailed exams or interventions, which come later in the process. The other activities—doing a full medical assessment later, deciding where to transport each patient, and documenting status—occur after the initial triage.