Which is NOT a priority symptom in the chief protocols?

The correct choice is skin temperature because it does not qualify as a priority symptom in the chief protocols of the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS). The MPDS focuses on identifying symptoms that indicate immediate medical emergencies requiring urgent intervention.

Priority symptoms, such as chest pain, severe bleeding, and abnormal breathing, are critical indicators that signal potential life-threatening conditions and typically necessitate a prompt response from emergency medical services. These symptoms are directly linked to conditions like cardiac events, trauma, or respiratory distress, which demand quick assessment and action.

In contrast, skin temperature, while potentially relevant in assessing a patient’s overall status or identifying infection or shock, is not considered a high-priority symptom that would drive urgent emergency response protocols. It does not reflect an immediate threat to life in the same way that the other listed symptoms do, hence it is excluded from the priority symptoms recognized in the context of dispatch protocols.