A patient with wrist pain after slipping on ice reports no obvious deformity. What ESI level is given?

In the scenario described, the patient has wrist pain due to a slip on ice but presents with no obvious deformity. An Emergency Severity Index (ESI) level is used to triage patients based on the severity of their condition and the resources they are likely to require.

The correct answer is Level 4, which is appropriate for patients with a presenting problem that is less severe and can typically be managed with a low resource intensity. In this case, wrist pain without deformation is often addressed with basic treatments such as pain management and possibly a simple splint or bandage, rather than more complex interventions or high-level diagnostic studies.

A Level 4 classification indicates that the patient will likely require two or more resources such as X-rays or laboratory tests but does not represent an immediate threat to life or limb. Therefore, while the patient is experiencing pain, the absence of severe symptoms or critical findings means they fall into the lower urgency category.

In comparison, levels 1, 2, and 5 would be inappropriate for this patient. Level 1 is reserved for patients needing immediate life-saving interventions, such as those with severe trauma or cardiac arrest. Level 2 is for patients who are at high risk for deterioration and might require multiple resources urgently.