chapter 72 Flashcards
Which of the following statements is true in relation to a disaster, whether natural or
man-made?
a. Negatively affects society
b. Requires a rapid and skilled response to action
c. Is managed by a community’s existing resources
d. Requires urgent intervention to avoid worsening of the situation
A
A disaster is the outcome of a natural event (e.g., hurricane, flood, snowstorm) or a result
of human action or error, whether malicious (e.g., terrorist attacks, use of biological
warfare) or unintentional (e.g., an accidental chemical spill), that negatively affects society,
the environment, or both. It is an emergency, not a disaster that may be described as an
event that requires a rapid and skilled response to protect the health, safety, and wellness
of individuals and to limit damage to property. Emergency situations are typically able to
be quickly managed without requiring the support and resources of other communities.
Which of the following types of disaster management approaches would be used when
dealing with a hurricane in southern Alberta?
a. All hazards
b. Unique hazard
c. Agent specific
d. Caused event
C
In an agent-specific approach, planning efforts are directed at those threats most likely to
take place within a single geographical location (e.g., earthquakes in California).
The Canadian Red Cross advises individuals to be self-sufficient in case of an emergency
and this includes being able to provide for one’s needs for approximately how many
hours?
a. 12 hours
b. 24 hours
c. 48 hours
d. 72 hours
D
This level of individual preparation requires stockpiling items that would be needed to be
self-sufficient for a period of at least 72 hours. The other choices, 12, 24, and 48 hours are
below the time suggested by the Canadian Red Cross.
A nurse is conducting emergency preparedness education in the community. Which of the
following amounts of drinking water should the nurse indicate to the group is required for
a family of 4?
a. 8 L
b. 12 L
c. 24 L
d. 32 L
C
At least 2 L/day per person of drinking water is required, so for 72 hours, a family of four
should have 24 L.
Which of the following levels/agencies is accountability for emergency planning and
response in Canada?
a. Municipal government
b. Provincial government
c. Federal government
d. Health Canada
A
Accountability for emergency planning and response in Canada is held by individual
municipal governments, the underlying principle being that communities possess the
greatest knowledge of their individual needs and thus are in a strategic position to most
effectively plan for and manage local emergency events.
A nurse is developing policy related to emergency management and basis the set-up of the
hospital incident command policy on the knowledge that the primary function of the
incident command centre is which of the following functions?
a. Complete a register with the names of all individuals involved.
b. Provide information to keep the media informed of the event.
c. Provide a central point for decision making.
d. Organize the efforts of all of the first responders to avoid duplication.
C
The primary function of the hospital incident command centre is to provide a central point
in which decision making can occur with the goal of supporting the needs of responders in
the field.
Which of the following government agencies is responsible for providing safe drinking
water and supportive medical services during a national disaster?
a. Health Canada
b. Public Safety Canada
c. Department of National Defence
d. Canadian Red Cross
C
The Department of National Defence administers the Disaster Response Team, which
provides safe drinking water and supportive medical services following a disaster.
The nurse is developing guidelines for emergency management. Which of the following
steps is the critical first step in emergency management?
a. Response
b. Recovery
c. Mitigation
d. Preparedness
C
Mitigation is a critical first step in emergency management and is done before an
emergency or disaster occurs through the anticipation of potential risks.
The nurse is teaching student nurses about different types of disasters and refers to a mass
casualty incident. The nurse educator should indicate that this type of disaster is referred to
as which of the following descriptions?
a. Internal
b. Peripheral
c. External
d. Combined internal and external
C
Examples of external disasters include mass casualty incidents that precipitate the arrival
of large numbers of trauma clients or the presentation of victims from a hazardous material
incident called a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear event.
When planning the response to the potential use of smallpox as an agent of terrorism, the
emergency department (ED) nurse-manager will plan to obtain sufficient quantities of
which of the following supplies?
a. Blood
b. Vaccine
c. Atropine
d. Antibiotics
B
Smallpox infection can be prevented or ameliorated by the administration of vaccine given
rapidly after exposure. The other interventions would be helpful for other agents of
terrorism but not for smallpox.
A client arrives in the emergency department after exposure to radioactive dust. Which of
the following actions should the nurse take first?
a. Place the client in a shower.
b. Obtain the client’s vital signs.
c. Determine the type of radioactive agent.
d. Obtain a baseline complete blood count.
A
The initial action should be to protect staff members and decrease the client’s exposure to
the radioactive agent by decontamination. The other actions can be done after the
decontamination is completed.
Following an earthquake, clients are triaged by emergency medical personnel and are
transported to the hospital. Which of the following clients should the nurse assess first?
a. A client with a red tag
b. A client with a blue tag
c. A client with a yellow tag
d. A client with a green tag
A
The red tag indicates a client with a life-threatening injury requiring rapid treatment. The
other tags indicate clients with less urgent injuries or those who are likely to die.
A health care team is testing its acute care centre emergency plan. This test occurs during
which of the following phases of emergency management?
a. Response
b. Recovery
c. Mitigation
d. Preparedness
D
Emergency exercises are conducted in the preparedness phase, to promote staff
preparation, evaluate the organization’s level of preparedness, and assist in training staff in
emergency management roles.
The incident management system (IMS) used in Canada is based upon the incident
command system that was developed as a result of which of the following disasters?
a. The tsunami off the coast of Tahiti
b. Wildfires in California
c. Floods in Saskatchewan
d. Drought in Alberta
B
The IMS used in Canada is based on the incident command system that was developed as
a result of mass wildfires that took place in California during the 1970s.
The nurse is triaging a client who arrives in the emergency department experiencing shock.
Using the START system, which of the following colours should the nurse assign to this
client?
a. Red
b. Black
c. Green
d. Yellow
A
Shock, airway obstruction, and unstable wounds would be assigned a colour category of
red.
