What does RPM stand for in triage assessment?

• A. Respirations, Pulse, Mental status
• B. Respirations, Perfusion, Mood
• C. Respirations, Perfusion, Mental status
• D. Respirations, Perfusion, Motor status

Answer: (C)

In triage, you rapidly screen for life threats using the RPM idea: Respirations, Perfusion, Mental status. Start by checking respirations to see if the patient is breathing and how effectively; this tells you if airway or breathing support is urgently needed. Next, assess perfusion—skin color, capillary refill, pulse quality—to judge circulation and shock risk. Finally, evaluate mental status to see if the patient can follow commands or respond appropriately, which reflects brain perfusion and overall neurologic function. Together, these three quick checks help you sort patients by urgency: problems with breathing, circulation, or consciousness signal higher priority for immediate care. The option that uses Respirations, Perfusion, and Mental status is the correct expansion, while replacing perfusion with pulse or replacing mental status with mood or motor status would miss essential aspects of the rapid bedside assessment.