Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale

The Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) has five levels:

• Level 1: Resuscitation – Conditions that are threats to life or limb
• Level 2: Emergent – Conditions that are a potential threat to life, limb or function
• Level 3: Urgent – Serious conditions that require emergency intervention
• Level 4: Less urgent – Conditions that relate to patient distress or potential complications that would benefit from intervention
• Level 5: Non-urgent – Conditions that are non-urgent or that may be part of a chronic problem

During triage in the Hôpital Montfort Emergency Department, patients are evaluated by a nurse who assigns them a level based on the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale. Patients are seen by a doctor in order of their priority on this scale.