Triage: setting priorities for health care

The concept of triage is central to the allocation of healthcare resources. As demands for health care increase, medical technologies and providers become more expensive and more scarce. Triage decisions occur at all levels in the distribution of resources. It is essential to explore the concept of triage and some of the underlying ethical principles for triage decision-making from the perspective of the discipline of nursing. Examining how definitions of triage apply to practice will enable nurses to participate in reform strategies for the healthcare system.