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triage - in disasters, the sorting of cases according to suitabillity for treatment.
Isn't it really a military term? It once meant to divide into three groups (hence "tri-"): the only-slightly-hurt who really don't need much and will likely get better anyway; the moderately injured who need and receive active treatment; and the the grievously wounded who are going to die regardless, don't use your limited resources on them, except - maybe - give them morphine and make them comfortable until they do.
The registration desk at my hospital's Emergency Room was called the "Triage Desk," and patients were assessed briefly, then given wait-your-turn or you're-in-trouble-go-in-right-now status. I had a friend who shuddered when she first saw the sign there. Having been around in WWII, to her it meant "decide who shall be ignored, don't waste your effort, time, and supplies on hopeless cases, just pile them over there to die." Not what she had been expecting to see in a modern hospital.
Quite a shift in meaning over forty years.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Thursday wwh 03/12/03 10:57 PM Re: Thursday WhitmanO'Neill 03/13/03 12:33 AM Re: Thursday wwh 03/13/03 01:42 AM Re: Thursday Bingley 03/13/03 05:35 AM Re: Thursday wwh 03/13/03 02:37 PM triage wofahulicodoc 03/13/03 04:35 PM Re: triage wwh 03/13/03 04:44 PM Re: triage Faldage 03/13/03 05:10 PM Re: triage tsuwm 03/13/03 05:57 PM Re: triage Faldage 03/13/03 06:21 PM
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