EMERGENCY TRIAGE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SOLVED 100% CORRECT!!
A hospital responds to a local mass casualty event. Which action should the nurse supervisor take to
prevent staff post-traumatic stress disorder during a mass casualty event?
a. Provide water and healthy snacks for energy throughout the event.
b. Schedule 16-hour shifts to allow for greater rest between shifts.
c. Encourage counseling upon deactivation of the emergency response plan.
d. Assign staff to different roles and units within the medical facility. - (answer)A
To prevent staff post-traumatic stress disorder during a mass casualty event, the nurses should use
available counseling, encourage and support co-workers, monitor each others stress level and
performance, take breaks when needed, talk about feelings with staff and managers, and drink plenty of
water and eat healthy snacks for energy. Nurses should also keep in touch with family, friends, and
significant others, and not work for more than 12 hours per day. Encouraging counseling upon
deactivation of the plan, or after the emergency response is over, does not prevent stress during the
casualty event. Assigning staff to unfamiliar roles or units may increase situational stress and is not an
approach to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder.
A client who is hospitalized with burns after losing the family home in a fire becomes angry and screams
at a nurse when dinner is served late. How should the nurse respond?
a. Do you need something for pain right now?
b. Please stop yelling. I brought dinner as soon as I could.
c. I suggest that you get control of yourself.
d. You seem upset. I have time to talk if you'd like. - (answer)D
Clients should be allowed to ventilate their feelings of anger and despair after a catastrophic event. The
nurse establishes rapport through active listening and honest communication and by recognizing cues
that the client wishes to talk. Asking whether the client is in pain as the first response closes the door to
open communication and limits the clients options. Simply telling the client to stop yelling and to gain
control does nothing to promote therapeutic communication.
,EMERGENCY TRIAGE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SOLVED 100% CORRECT!!
A nurse is field-triaging clients after an industrial accident. Which client condition should the nurse
triage with a red tag?
a. Dislocated right hip and an open fracture of the right lower leg
b. Large contusion to the forehead and a bloody nose
c. Closed fracture of the right clavicle and arm numbness
d. Multiple fractured ribs and shortness of breath - (answer)D
Clients who have an immediate threat to life are given the highest priority, are placed in the emergent
or class I category, and are given a red triage tag. The client with multiple rib fractures and shortness of
breath most likely has developed a pneumothorax, which may be fatal if not treated immediately. The
client with the hip and leg problem and the client with the clavicle fracture would be classified as class II;
these major but stable injuries can wait 30 minutes to 2 hours for definitive care. The client with facial
wounds would be considered the walking wounded and classified as nonurgent.
An emergency department (ED) charge nurse prepares to receive clients from a mass casualty within the
community. What is the role of this nurse during the event?
a. Ask ED staff to discharge clients from the medical-surgical units in order to make room for critically
injured victims.
b. Call additional medical-surgical and critical care nursing staff to come to the hospital to assist when
victims are brought in.
c. Inform the incident commander at the mass casualty scene about how many victims may be handled
by the ED.
d. Direct medical-surgical and critical care nurses to assist with clients currently in the ED while
emergency staff prepare to receive the mass casualty victims. - (answer)D
The ED charge nurse should direct additional nursing staff to help care for current ED clients while the
ED staff prepares to receive mass casualty victims; however, they should not be assigned to the most
critically ill or injured clients. The house supervisor and unit directors would collaborate to discharge
stable clients. The hospital incident commander is responsible for mobilizing resources and would have
,EMERGENCY TRIAGE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SOLVED 100% CORRECT!!
the responsibility for calling in staff. The medical command physician would be the person best able to
communicate with on-scene personnel regarding the ability to take more clients.
The hospital administration arranges for critical incident stress debriefing for the staff after a mass
casualty incident. Which statement by the debriefing team leader is most appropriate for this situation?
a. You are free to express your feelings; whatever is said here stays here.
b. Lets evaluate what went wrong and develop policies for future incidents.
c. This session is only for nursing and medical staff, not for ancillary personnel.
d. Lets pass around the written policy compliance form for everyone. - (answer)A
Strict confidentiality during stress debriefing is essential so that staff members can feel comfortable
sharing their feelings, which should be accepted unconditionally. Brainstorming improvements and
discussing policies would occur during an administrative review. Any employee present during a mass
casualty situation is eligible for critical incident stress management services.
A nurse cares for clients during a community-wide disaster drill. Once of the clients asks, "Why are the
individuals with black tags not receiving any care?" How should the nurse respond?
a. To do the greatest good for the greatest number of people, it is necessary to sacrifice some.
b. Not everyone will survive a disaster, so it is best to identify those people early and move on.
c. In a disaster, extensive resources are not used for one person at the expense of many others.
d. With black tags, volunteers can identify those who are dying and can give them comfort care. -
(answer)C
In a disaster, military-style triage is used; this approach identifies the dead or expectant dead with black
tags. This practice helps to maintain the goal of triage, which is doing the most good for the most
people. Precious resources are not used for those with overwhelming critical injury or illness, so that
they can be allocated to others who have a reasonable expectation of survival. Clients are not sacrificed.
, EMERGENCY TRIAGE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SOLVED 100% CORRECT!!
Telling students to move on after identifying the expectant dead belittles their feelings and does not
provide an adequate explanation. Clients are not black-tagged to allow volunteers to give comfort care.
After a hospitals emergency department (ED) has efficiently triaged, treated, and transferred clients
from a community disaster to appropriate units, the hospital incident command officer wants to stand
down from the emergency plan. Which question should the nursing supervisor ask at this time?
a. Are you sure no more victims are coming into the ED?
b. Do all areas of the hospital have the supplies and personnel they need?
c. Have all ED staff had the chance to eat and rest recently?
d. Does the Chief Medical Officer agree this disaster is under control? - (answer)B
Before standing down, the incident command officer ensures that the needs of the other hospital
departments have been taken care of because they may still be stressed and may need continued
support to keep functioning. Many more walking wounded victims may present to the ED; that number
may not be predictable. Giving staff the chance to eat and rest is important, but all areas of the facility
need that too. Although the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) may be involved in the incident, the CMO does
not determine when the hospital can stand down.
An emergency department charge nurse notes an increase in sick calls and bickering among the staff
after a week with multiple trauma incidents. Which action should the nurse take?
a. Organize a pizza party for each shift.
b. Remind the staff of the facility's sick-leave policy.
c. Arrange for critical incident stress debriefing.
d. Talk individually with staff members. - (answer)C
The staff may be suffering from critical incident stress and needs to have a debriefing by the critical
incident stress management team to prevent the consequences of long-term, unabated stress. Speaking
with staff members individually does not provide the same level of support as a group debriefing.
A hospital responds to a local mass casualty event. Which action should the nurse supervisor take to
prevent staff post-traumatic stress disorder during a mass casualty event?
a. Provide water and healthy snacks for energy throughout the event.
b. Schedule 16-hour shifts to allow for greater rest between shifts.
c. Encourage counseling upon deactivation of the emergency response plan.
d. Assign staff to different roles and units within the medical facility. - (answer)A
To prevent staff post-traumatic stress disorder during a mass casualty event, the nurses should use
available counseling, encourage and support co-workers, monitor each others stress level and
performance, take breaks when needed, talk about feelings with staff and managers, and drink plenty of
water and eat healthy snacks for energy. Nurses should also keep in touch with family, friends, and
significant others, and not work for more than 12 hours per day. Encouraging counseling upon
deactivation of the plan, or after the emergency response is over, does not prevent stress during the
casualty event. Assigning staff to unfamiliar roles or units may increase situational stress and is not an
approach to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder.
A client who is hospitalized with burns after losing the family home in a fire becomes angry and screams
at a nurse when dinner is served late. How should the nurse respond?
a. Do you need something for pain right now?
b. Please stop yelling. I brought dinner as soon as I could.
c. I suggest that you get control of yourself.
d. You seem upset. I have time to talk if you'd like. - (answer)D
Clients should be allowed to ventilate their feelings of anger and despair after a catastrophic event. The
nurse establishes rapport through active listening and honest communication and by recognizing cues
that the client wishes to talk. Asking whether the client is in pain as the first response closes the door to
open communication and limits the clients options. Simply telling the client to stop yelling and to gain
control does nothing to promote therapeutic communication.
,EMERGENCY TRIAGE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SOLVED 100% CORRECT!!
A nurse is field-triaging clients after an industrial accident. Which client condition should the nurse
triage with a red tag?
a. Dislocated right hip and an open fracture of the right lower leg
b. Large contusion to the forehead and a bloody nose
c. Closed fracture of the right clavicle and arm numbness
d. Multiple fractured ribs and shortness of breath - (answer)D
Clients who have an immediate threat to life are given the highest priority, are placed in the emergent
or class I category, and are given a red triage tag. The client with multiple rib fractures and shortness of
breath most likely has developed a pneumothorax, which may be fatal if not treated immediately. The
client with the hip and leg problem and the client with the clavicle fracture would be classified as class II;
these major but stable injuries can wait 30 minutes to 2 hours for definitive care. The client with facial
wounds would be considered the walking wounded and classified as nonurgent.
An emergency department (ED) charge nurse prepares to receive clients from a mass casualty within the
community. What is the role of this nurse during the event?
a. Ask ED staff to discharge clients from the medical-surgical units in order to make room for critically
injured victims.
b. Call additional medical-surgical and critical care nursing staff to come to the hospital to assist when
victims are brought in.
c. Inform the incident commander at the mass casualty scene about how many victims may be handled
by the ED.
d. Direct medical-surgical and critical care nurses to assist with clients currently in the ED while
emergency staff prepare to receive the mass casualty victims. - (answer)D
The ED charge nurse should direct additional nursing staff to help care for current ED clients while the
ED staff prepares to receive mass casualty victims; however, they should not be assigned to the most
critically ill or injured clients. The house supervisor and unit directors would collaborate to discharge
stable clients. The hospital incident commander is responsible for mobilizing resources and would have
,EMERGENCY TRIAGE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SOLVED 100% CORRECT!!
the responsibility for calling in staff. The medical command physician would be the person best able to
communicate with on-scene personnel regarding the ability to take more clients.
The hospital administration arranges for critical incident stress debriefing for the staff after a mass
casualty incident. Which statement by the debriefing team leader is most appropriate for this situation?
a. You are free to express your feelings; whatever is said here stays here.
b. Lets evaluate what went wrong and develop policies for future incidents.
c. This session is only for nursing and medical staff, not for ancillary personnel.
d. Lets pass around the written policy compliance form for everyone. - (answer)A
Strict confidentiality during stress debriefing is essential so that staff members can feel comfortable
sharing their feelings, which should be accepted unconditionally. Brainstorming improvements and
discussing policies would occur during an administrative review. Any employee present during a mass
casualty situation is eligible for critical incident stress management services.
A nurse cares for clients during a community-wide disaster drill. Once of the clients asks, "Why are the
individuals with black tags not receiving any care?" How should the nurse respond?
a. To do the greatest good for the greatest number of people, it is necessary to sacrifice some.
b. Not everyone will survive a disaster, so it is best to identify those people early and move on.
c. In a disaster, extensive resources are not used for one person at the expense of many others.
d. With black tags, volunteers can identify those who are dying and can give them comfort care. -
(answer)C
In a disaster, military-style triage is used; this approach identifies the dead or expectant dead with black
tags. This practice helps to maintain the goal of triage, which is doing the most good for the most
people. Precious resources are not used for those with overwhelming critical injury or illness, so that
they can be allocated to others who have a reasonable expectation of survival. Clients are not sacrificed.
, EMERGENCY TRIAGE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SOLVED 100% CORRECT!!
Telling students to move on after identifying the expectant dead belittles their feelings and does not
provide an adequate explanation. Clients are not black-tagged to allow volunteers to give comfort care.
After a hospitals emergency department (ED) has efficiently triaged, treated, and transferred clients
from a community disaster to appropriate units, the hospital incident command officer wants to stand
down from the emergency plan. Which question should the nursing supervisor ask at this time?
a. Are you sure no more victims are coming into the ED?
b. Do all areas of the hospital have the supplies and personnel they need?
c. Have all ED staff had the chance to eat and rest recently?
d. Does the Chief Medical Officer agree this disaster is under control? - (answer)B
Before standing down, the incident command officer ensures that the needs of the other hospital
departments have been taken care of because they may still be stressed and may need continued
support to keep functioning. Many more walking wounded victims may present to the ED; that number
may not be predictable. Giving staff the chance to eat and rest is important, but all areas of the facility
need that too. Although the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) may be involved in the incident, the CMO does
not determine when the hospital can stand down.
An emergency department charge nurse notes an increase in sick calls and bickering among the staff
after a week with multiple trauma incidents. Which action should the nurse take?
a. Organize a pizza party for each shift.
b. Remind the staff of the facility's sick-leave policy.
c. Arrange for critical incident stress debriefing.
d. Talk individually with staff members. - (answer)C
The staff may be suffering from critical incident stress and needs to have a debriefing by the critical
incident stress management team to prevent the consequences of long-term, unabated stress. Speaking
with staff members individually does not provide the same level of support as a group debriefing.
