In a disaster situation, which client should be tagged red for immediate treatment?

In a disaster situation, when prioritizing clients for immediate treatment, medical triage is crucial for ensuring that those with the most critical needs receive attention first. A client marked as red indicates that they are in a condition requiring immediate intervention to prevent death or serious deterioration.

In this scenario, the client with a sucking chest wound and tension pneumothorax is experiencing a life-threatening condition. A tension pneumothorax occurs when air becomes trapped in the pleural space, leading to increased pressure that compromises lung function and affects cardiovascular stability. This condition can quickly become fatal if not treated promptly by decompressing the pleural space and allowing the lungs to expand properly again.

While the client with extensive burns and the one with a severe head injury also present serious health risks, the immediate threat to life posed by the tension pneumothorax necessitates prompt intervention over other serious but less acutely life-threatening situations. Minor fractures, while requiring care, do not pose an immediate risk to the patient's life, placing those clients further down the priority list in a triage situation.