A category four tornado has injured 50 people from the community. The nurse is responsible for in field triage. According to triage protocol, which client should be treated last? A. The 30-year-old with lacerations to the neck and face B. The 70-year-old with chest pain and shortness of breath C. The 6-year-old with fixed, dilated pupils who is nonresponsive D. The 40-year-old with tachypnea and tachycardia

In disaster response, the triage protocol is used to prioritize treatment for large numbers of casualties. The objective is to provide the greatest good for the largest number of people. Patients are therefore grouped into categories based on their conditions: - Red (Immediate): Life-threatening injuries but have a good chance of surviving with immediate treatment - Yellow (Delayed): Serious injuries that can be managed and can wait for treatment - Green (Minor): Minor injuries or "walking wounded" that can wait for treatment - Black (Expectant): Either deceased, or unlikely to survive even with immediate treatment

Based on the description of each patient, we will categorize them according to the triage protocol: A. The 30-year-old with lacerations to the neck and face: Red (Immediate) - severe bleeding may lead to life-threatening conditions if not addressed immediately B. The 70-year-old with chest pain and shortness of breath: Red (Immediate) - possible signs of a heart attack or other life-threatening conditions requiring immediate attention C. The 6-year-old with fixed, dilated pupils who is nonresponsive: Black (Expectant) - nonresponsive condition and fixed, dilated pupils might indicate severe brain injuries or death, unlikely to survive even with immediate treatment D. The 40-year-old with tachypnea (rapid breathing) and tachycardia (rapid heart rate): Yellow (Delayed) - both symptoms could be a result of anxiety, pain, or less severe injuries; treatment can be delayed

According to the triage protocol, the last person to be treated should be from the lowest priority category. In this case, the only person in the "Black (Expectant)" category is the 6-year-old with fixed, dilated pupils who is nonresponsive. Thus, the correct answer is: C. The 6-year-old with fixed, dilated pupils who is nonresponsive