Answer:
The clients should be prioritized in the following order:
A 52-year-old man in full cardiac arrest who has been receiving CPR continuously for the past 30 minutes.
A firefighter who is showing combative behavior and has respiratory stridor.
A teenager with a crushed leg that is very swollen who is anxious and has tachycardia.
A 60-year-old woman with full-thickness burns to the hands and forearms.
A 12-year-old with wheezing and very labored respirations unrelieved by an asthma inhaler.
A 3-year-old child with respiratory distress and burns over more than 70% of the anterior body.
Step-by-step explanation:
This prioritization is based on disaster triage principles, specifically the START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) system. The goal is to allocate limited resources to those who need them most urgently.
The man in full cardiac arrest (Cardiac Arrest) takes the highest priority as immediate life-saving measures, such as CPR, are needed to attempt resuscitation.
The firefighter with respiratory stridor (Immediate) is next because airway obstruction or respiratory distress can quickly become life-threatening.
The teenager with a crushed leg and tachycardia (Delayed) is third because while there's potential for severe injury, it's not immediately life-threatening.
The woman with full-thickness burns (Delayed) is treated next, as burns require specialized care but are not immediately life-threatening.
The 12-year-old with wheezing (Delayed) comes after the more critical cases. Asthma can be serious, but the patient is stable for the moment.
The 3-year-old with extensive burns (Expectant) is the lowest priority due to the severity of injuries and limited resources. In a mass casualty situation, it may be challenging to provide care for such extensive injuries, and resources may need to be allocated to those with a higher chance of survival.