Deck 5: Management of Emergencies and Disasters

Question 1

Which of the following responses by the nurse is the most appropriate first action by the nurse when an employee is exposed to a caustic chemical on his arm?

A)Rinse the arm under water and then see a physician.
B)Report the incident to the safety committee.
C)Read the MSDSs about the next thing to do.
D)Call 911.

Answer 1

Rinse the arm under water and then see a physician.

Question 2

During a natural disaster,nurses may be called on to act as first responders.The nurse recognizes the importance of agencies in the development of plans for the organization and management of such events.FEMA and the National Response Plan team have established protocols to:

A)Protect the health and safety of the public.
B)Seek the cause and prevent future events.
C)Establish criteria on which specific groups of people will be protected.
D)Isolate certain ethnic groups for the good of the country.

Answer 2

Protect the health and safety of the public.

Question 3

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)and The National Response Plan teams are responsible for the management of domestic incidents.New employees would require further information about these agencies if which of the following statements is overheard?

A)Ensure security of the country
B)Facilitate recovery of individuals
C)Protection of first responders
D)Advocating restrictions to travel

Answer 3

Advocating restrictions to travel

Question 4

Emergency management is usually instituted by the safety officer of the facility.All employees are oriented to the emergency procedures either during new employee orientation or through annual competency evaluations.During these sessions,information is disseminated to include (select all that apply):

A)Sentinel events review.
B)Limitations of new admissions.
C)Evacuation plans.
D)Command structure.
E)Transportation to and from facility.

Question 5

The hospital safety committee is responsible for reporting hazardous materials events.For which of the following situations would the nurse expect a follow-up by this safety committee?

A)A nurse complains of a noxious odor that is making patients lightheaded.
B)A nurse incorrectly disposes of a patient's surgical dressing.
C)A nurse contaminates an IV line during insertion.
D)A patient falls because the floor was wet from being cleaned.

Question 6

Hazardous materials and waste are present within the hospital environment.Which objectives must be met to ensure compliance with federal regulatory agencies to ensure protection of all people within the environment?

A)Place HazMat stickers on all hazardous materials and waste.
B)Appoint nurses to monitor the hospital's compliance with regulations.
C)Provide a mechanism to reduce the risks of exposure to hazardous materials and waste.
D)Minimize Workers' Compensation.

Question 7

Ergonomic hazards are major safety risks for nurses.To reduce the risks for injury,nurses should:

A)Avoid caring for obese patients.
B)Teach obese patients the importance of moving and ambulating with minimal assistance.
C)Incorporate lift devices for patients unable to assist with their mobility.
D)Call for a nursing assistant to help get the patient up.

Question 8

A triage nurse in the emergency department is responsible for deciding who is seen first-the most unstable patient versus the patient who is merely uncomfortable.Which of the following patients should be seen first by the emergency physicians?

A)Patient scheduled to arrive by helicopter in acute chest pain with normal troponin levels at the originating hospital
B)Patient dropped off by "friends" following a night of alcohol and drug use
C)Patient who drove himself to the emergency department following a stab wound to the abdomen
D)Patient who arrives with gastrointestinal bleeding whose blood pressure is 85/40 mm Hg and heart rate is 120 beats/min.

Question 9

The performance and compliance of standards of environment of care of institutions are measured by The Joint Commission.The importance of this accreditation is imparted to all employees prior to the commission's visit.What is the impact on the individual staff member?

A)Federal funding can be withheld.
B)Individual staff members can be identified as noncompliant.
C)Individual staff members can be terminated.
D)Organization of individual unit is scrutinized.

Question 10

When obtaining a patient's blood pressure using an automatic monitoring device,the nurse notices that the reading is not consistent with previous readings for that patient.What is the priority action by the nurse?

A)Replace the device with a different device and recheck the blood pressure.
B)Take a manual blood pressure measurement in the other arm.
C)Increase the IV drip rate.
D)Decrease the IV drip rate.

Question 11

The nurse smells smoke down a hallway and finds a small fire in the trash basket in a patient's bathroom.The first best action by the nurse is to:

A)Remove the patient from the room.
B)Attempt to extinguish the fire.
C)Close all doors and windows.
D)Close the door to the hallway.

Question 12

What would a circulating nurse working in the operating room consider a priority for a patient undergoing an artificial valve replacement regarding providing documentation of artificial devices to the manufacturer?

A)Counting sponges and sutures
B)Completing forms for the artificial valve manufacturer
C)Covering for the surgical technician breaks
D)Assessment of lung sounds

Question 13

The nurse is caring for a patient following a mitral valve repair.Which patient should the charge nurse place in a semiprivate room with this patient?

A)Patient scheduled for a cardiac catheterization
B)Patient from emergency department with community-acquired pneumonia
C)Patient with gastroenteritis
D)Patient with hepatitis C

Question 14

Recent international terrorist attacks coordinated at multiple sites in a city at one time strain the ability of that city to respond.Which federal program was designed to address this risk?

A)EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
B)National Response Plan
C)TOP OFF initiative
D)FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)

Question 15

In the hospital,one person is designated to coordinate and implement the policies and procedures for emergency management of the hospital.Which position would most likely be designated to fulfill those responsibilities?

A)Safety officer
B)Chief nursing officer
C)Risk manager
D)Case manger

Question 16

A student nurse mistakenly delivers a double dose of digoxin (Lanoxin)to a patient.What is the correct documentation of this error?

A)"Digoxin 0.25 mg accidently given to patient.Incident report completed."
B)"Digoxin 0.25 mg given,Digoxin 0.125 mg ordered.BP 110/70,heart rate 64 bpm."
C)"Digoxin 0.25 mg given."
D)"Digoxin 0.125 mg given."

Question 17

Since the disaster in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina,government agencies have established environment of care standards.The nurse understands these standards are important to both the patient and institution based on (select all that apply):

A)Fire and safety management.
B)Security management.
C)Hazardous waste management.
D)Availability of staff.
E)Transfer of staff.

Question 18

Hospitals are perceived as safe environments,but fires can occur anywhere.Which action is part of a systemwide fire safety plan of hospitals?

A)Evacuation of all patients once a month
B)Implementation of fire drills on a regular basis
C)Prevention of visitors from smoking in and around the hospital
D)Limit of the use of oxygen to only intensive care units

Question 19

In educating the staff,the nurse manager teaches about the All-hazards approach to all types of natural and terrorist events.Staff should understand that these events might include (select all that apply):

A)Outbreak of the flu
B)Shutdown of the electrical grid
C)Anthrax exposure
D)Sarin gas exposure
E)Massive computer virus

Question 20

Compliance to the Environment of Care standards measured by The Joint Commission ( TJC )is a requirement for federal funding to hospitals being reviewed.The key standard measured focuses on which areas?

A)Mandatory overload
B)Safety
C)Educational makeup of employees
D)Cultural diversity of patients

Question 21

Emergency preparedness drills are standard practice in health care facilities.The purposes for these drills include (select all that apply):

A)Determining if changes need to be made to the plan.
B)Creating improvements to the plan.
C)Working closely with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
D)Testing terrorism response exercise.

Question 22

Nurses must understand that during an emergency,such as a tornado,sometimes the presiding decision maker may have to make decisions based on the principle of the most good for the most people.What would be an appropriate action based on that principle? (Select all that all apply.

A)Moving only the ambulatory patients to safety
B)Potentially sacrificing staff to remain with the ventilated patients
C)Allowing staff members with families to leave
D)Asking visitors to move into the stairways
E)Refusing to allow any staff members to leave

Question 23

A material safety data sheet (MSDS)is provided by the manufacturer at purchase of hazardous materials.Which items are included in those data sheets? Select all that apply.

A)Ingredients
B)Efficacy of product
C)First aid measures
D)Exposure controls
E)Cost comparison of product

Question 24

When using new equipment,it is essential for all staff responsible for its use to undergo orientation prior to use to be knowledgeable of (select all that apply):

A)Basic operating and safety procedures.
B)Cost of equipment.
C)Management of equipment failure.
D)Cleaning of equipment.

Question 25

Security concerns have forced hospitals to develop publicly announced emergency color codes.Although the actual color may differ from institution to institution,the nurse must be ready to participate in staff response for which emergencies? Select all that apply

A)Medication errors
B)Infant delivery
C)Fire
D)Infant abductions
E)Hazardous weather

Question 26

Medical waste management categorizes waste into seven classes.What is included in those classes? Select all that apply

A)Unused syringes
B)Unused needles
C)Medications refused by the patient
D)Medications dropped on the floor
E)Urine and feces
F)Blood