Deck 15: Disaster Preparedness

Question 1

In the event of a mass casualty incident,part of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)'s disaster preparedness program involves backup plans for maintaining public and intraagency/interagency ____________.

Answer 1

communication
Traditional modes of communication will likely be interrupted in the event of a mass casualty incident (MCI);therefore,part of disaster preparedness involves backup plans for maintaining public and intraagency/interagency communication (e.g. ,use of two-way radios and satellite phones).

Question 2

The patient is admitted with exposure to an unknown chemical.His clothing appears to be grossly contaminated.What should the nurse do? (Select all that apply. )

A)Avoid touching contaminated parts of clothing.
B)Pull the patient's tee shirt off over his head.
C)Cut the patient's clothes off.
D)Wash the patient with large amounts of soap and water.

Answer 2

Avoid touching contaminated parts of clothing.
Cut the patient's clothes off.
Wash the patient with large amounts of soap and water.

Question 3

The nurse has arrived at the scene of a natural disaster and is assigned to care for four patients.To which patient should the nurse provide care first?

A)Patient with a closed head injury with no changes in level of consciousness
B)Patient with a 3-cm laceration to the forearm
C)Patient who is breathing 8 times per minute
D)Patient with a displaced wrist fracture

Answer 3

Patient who is breathing 8 times per minute

Question 4

Why are children particularly vulnerable to environmental toxins? (Select all that apply. )

A)They have stronger immune systems.
B)They take in proportionally larger doses of toxins from food,water,and the air.
C)Their organ systems are less able to remove toxins than adult organ systems.
D)They have a greater number of years of life expectancy.

Question 5

If a patient is receiving radiation using gamma rays,the nurse would be watching for which of the following?

A)Severe pain during administration
B)Development of an allergy to shellfish
C)Severe burns or internal injury
D)Confusion and lethargy

Question 6

Personal protective equipment (PPE)is categorized by the level of safety provided.Standard work uniforms or work clothes offer what level of protection?

A)Level A
B)Level B
C)Level C
D)Level D

Question 7

The patient is admitted to the emergency department with possible smallpox exposure.The patient has never had a smallpox immunization.The nurse prepares to administer a smallpox vaccination,realizing that vaccination:

A)within 3 days of exposure will completely prevent the disease.
B)is effective only if received before exposure.
C)4 to 7 days after exposure will completely prevent the disease.
D)within 3 days will offer only some protection from disease.

Question 8

The government agency that coordinates the efforts of multiple organizations to secure and maintain the safety of our nation is the __________________.

Question 9

Which of the following are goals of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)? (Select all that apply. )

A)Prevention of terrorist attacks
B)Response to disasters
C)Recovery from disasters
D)Coordination of efforts among agencies

Question 10

In addition to the Department of Homeland Security,which of the following agencies has a mission to ensure that the nation is well prepared to respond to an act of terrorism?

A)American Medical Association (AMA)
B)American Red Cross
C)Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
D)Salvation Army

Question 11

Which of the following should make the nurse suspect a biological event? (Select all that apply. )

A)Large numbers of ill people with unexplained similar symptoms
B)Unexplained deaths among young and healthy populations
C)A patient population with symptoms suggestive of a common agent
D)An unusual geographical pattern associated with the symptoms

Question 12

The most recently labeled level of protection is BioPPE.The use of BioPPE requires which of the following items?

A)Self-contained breathing apparatus
B)Respiratory protection but less skin protection
C)Chemically resistant boots and gloves
D)Standard work clothes,contact and respiratory protective devices

Question 13

The patient is brought into the emergency department as part of a mass casualty incident (MCI).The patient has white powder on his clothes,and it is suspected that the patient has been exposed to anthrax.What should the nurse do first?

A)Cut off the patient's clothing and place it in a plastic bag.
B)Have the patient remove his sweater by pulling it over his head.
C)Avoid using oxygen that could decrease the patient's oxygen drive.
D)Provide the patient with appropriate antibiotics.

Question 14

How is a disaster best defined?

A)Any event or situation that results in multiple casualties and/or deaths
B)A catastrophic and/or destructive event that disrupts normal functioning
C)An industrial accident and unplanned release of nuclear waste
D)An event that results in human casualties that overwhelm available health care resources

Question 15

Disaster nursing differs from general nursing because when caring for patients during a disaster:

A)the focus is on caring for the sickest people first.
B)using a color tag system reduces the amount of emotional stress on the nurse.
C)the focus is no longer on airway,breathing,and circulation.
D)the focus is on caring for those most likely to survive.

Question 16

Dispersal of biological agents is a real and psychological terrorist threat.Which of the following organisms has the potential to cause the greatest harm?

A)Anthrax
B)Ricin
C)Salmonella
D)Hantavirus

Question 17

After a suspected radiological exposure,the initial scan of the patient's extremities is positive.What will be the next step in this patient's care?

A)Washing the skin with soap and water while taking care not to irritate or abrade the skin
B)Removing clothing to eliminate 70% to 90% of the contamination
C)Isolating and covering up any skin that is positive for radiation using a plastic wrap
D)Conducting a thorough survey of the patient's entire body with the radiation sensing equipment

Question 18

Which of the following biological agent requires the use of an antitoxin if exposure occurs?

A)Anthrax
B)Plague
C)Botulism
D)Typhoid

Question 19

Upon arriving at a mass causality scene,health care providers using the SALT approach will initiate triage by doing which of the following first?

A)Assess
B)Move
C)Sort
D)Send

Question 20

The strategic plan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)in the event of a disaster first focuses on __________________.

Question 21

The terrorist act of releasing a biological agent into a specified environment is known as _____________________.

Question 22

It is recommended that every household prepares a ____________.

Question 23

The patient is being treated for biological agent exposure and is resting in the emergency department bay.It is important that the nurse evaluate changes in airway,breathing,and circulation,as well as ____________________.

Question 24

An outbreak of influenza A in the same geographical location is known as an __________.

Question 25

__________ is the sorting of individuals by the seriousness of their condition and the likelihood of their survival.

Question 26

Releasing nuclear energy in an explosive manner as the result of a nuclear chain reaction is known as a ________________.

Question 27

The dispersal of radioactive material via a "dirty bomb" or by deliberate contamination of food supplies or water supplies is known as a _________________.

Question 28

Hurricane Zee has caused severe flooding and loss of power throughout the state.The local community has a stockpile of supplies that will help it get through the next 72 hours.Beyond this,once local and federal authorities confirm the need,a "push package" of supplies will be issued within 12 hours of the confirmation.These supplies will come from the ____________.

Question 29

A patient has been exposed to a toxic chemical.The nurse's first priority is _______________.

Question 30

For safety reasons,rescue workers should be upwind and uphill from a toxic chemical disaster scene to avoid exposure.The exception is when ____________ has been released,because it is lighter than air.

Question 31

An _________________ provides a standard approach to managing emergencies in which multiple agencies are involved.