COHN Emergency Preparedness and Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When establishing a decontamination corridor after a hazardous material release, the occupational health nurse should ensure personnel working in the hot zone are wearing:
- Level D PPE (standard work clothing)
- Level C PPE (air-purifying respirator)
- Level A PPE (fully encapsulated suit with SCBA) (Correct answer)
- Level B PPE (splash protective suit with SCBA)
Correct answer: Level A PPE (fully encapsulated suit with SCBA)
Level A PPE provides the highest level of skin, eye, and respiratory protection and is required in the hot zone where the highest potential for exposure exists.
Question 2: A worker is found unconscious after exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas. After ensuring scene safety, the nurse's NEXT priority is:
- Obtain a detailed occupational history
- Begin CPR and administer 100% oxygen (Correct answer)
- Apply a chemical antidote kit
- Document the incident for OSHA reporting
Correct answer: Begin CPR and administer 100% oxygen
Hydrogen sulfide causes rapid asphyxiation; after scene safety, the immediate priority is to restore oxygenation through CPR and 100% supplemental oxygen.
Question 3: Which element is MOST critical to include in post-incident debriefing after a workplace emergency?
- Financial cost analysis
- Critical incident stress management (CISM) for responders (Correct answer)
- Detailed legal documentation for litigation
- Performance evaluations of all responding personnel
Correct answer: Critical incident stress management (CISM) for responders
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) addresses the psychological impact on responders and helps prevent PTSD and burnout following traumatic workplace events.
Question 4: An occupational health nurse is reviewing shelter-in-place procedures. Which scenario BEST indicates when shelter-in-place is preferred over evacuation?
- An active fire in the building's east wing
- An external airborne chemical release with rapidly changing wind direction (Correct answer)
- A structural failure warning from engineering
- A credible bomb threat received by security
Correct answer: An external airborne chemical release with rapidly changing wind direction
An external airborne chemical release with unpredictable wind direction makes evacuation dangerous; sheltering in-place protects employees by sealing them indoors away from contaminated air.
Question 5: The Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) principle of 'span of control' recommends that one supervisor manage no more than how many personnel?
- 3 to 5 (Correct answer)
- 7 to 10
- 10 to 15
- 1 to 2
Correct answer: 3 to 5
The recommended span of control in ICS/HEICS is 3 to 5 subordinates per supervisor, ensuring effective oversight without cognitive overload.
Question 6: Which assessment tool is used in the START triage system to categorize a non-breathing adult victim who does not breathe after one head-tilt/chin-lift?
- Red (immediate)
- Yellow (delayed)
- Green (minor)
- Black (expectant/deceased) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Black (expectant/deceased)
In START triage, a non-breathing adult who does not resume breathing after airway repositioning is categorized Black (expectant/deceased), as resources are focused on salvageable victims.
Question 7: Under OSHA's Emergency Action Plan standard, employers with more than how many employees must have a WRITTEN emergency action plan?
- 5
- 10 (Correct answer)
- 25
- 50
Correct answer: 10
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 requires a written Emergency Action Plan for employers with more than 10 employees; smaller employers may communicate the plan orally.
COHN Emergency Preparedness and Response 2
When establishing a decontamination corridor after a hazardous material release, the occupational health nurse should ensure personnel working in the hot zone are wearing: