Who should a nurse prioritize for transportation to an acute care facility during mass casualty triage after a tornado?

In mass casualty triage, the primary focus is on prioritizing patients based on the severity of their injuries and the likelihood of survival with immediate treatment. The middle adult client with a severed lower extremity is classified as having a life-threatening injury that requires urgent medical attention.

This patient's condition indicates significant trauma that could lead to severe complications, such as hemorrhaging and infection, if not treated promptly. In contrast, the other patients listed do not present with injuries that require immediate transportation to an acute care facility. A young child with minor lacerations, an elderly client with mild dehydration, and a teenager with a sprained ankle have injuries that are serious but not life-threatening, indicating they could wait longer for care without a significant risk to their health. Therefore, the correct prioritization focuses on the individual most in need of urgent intervention, which is the middle adult client with a severed lower extremity.