ABC Prioritization Framework

By VeriScorePrep Team · 4 min

ABC is the prioritization framework for urgent triage. When two patients are urgent, the one whose airway, breathing, or circulation is threatened comes first.

The framework

• Airway: patent, breathing through it? Suction, position, intubate as needed.
• Breathing: rate, depth, breath sounds, oxygenation?
• Circulation: pulse, blood pressure, perfusion, bleeding?

When ABC is not first

For unstable acute changes other than BP — for example, a change in mental status deserves similar urgency, since the brain drives everything else. In disaster triage, the framework shifts to standard triage categories (immediate, delayed, minimal, expectant).

Integrating with other frameworks

When ABC is preserved, use Maslow (physiologic before psychosocial), acute-change-before-chronic, the unstable patient first, and least-invasive-first (assess before acting when safe). For questions asking "first," prefer assessment over action when assessment is quick and low-risk.

A typical exam item: four patients with urgent problems — the one with the threatened airway or new hypoxia goes first.