Emergency Response Flashcards
7 cards from real RPN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Emergency Response flashcards as text
A patient with a suspected pulmonary embolism has sudden onset of pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea, and tachycardia. The MOST definitive diagnostic test the nurse should prepare the patient for is:
Answer: CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA)
CT pulmonary angiography is the gold standard for diagnosing pulmonary embolism, directly visualizing clots in the pulmonary vasculature.
A patient is in the ED after an industrial chemical splash to both eyes. The nurse's IMMEDIATE intervention is:
Answer: Irrigate both eyes copiously with normal saline for at least 20–30 minutes
Continuous copious eye irrigation is the priority intervention for chemical eye exposure to dilute and remove the offending agent before it causes permanent damage.
A nurse is caring for a patient with a traumatic amputation of the right hand. After controlling bleeding, the nurse correctly manages the amputated part by:
Answer: Wrapping it in moist saline gauze, placing in a sealed bag, and keeping it on ice without direct contact
The amputated part should be wrapped in moist saline gauze, placed in a sealed plastic bag, and kept cool on ice (not frozen) to preserve viability for reimplantation.
A patient with a known peanut allergy receives a medication and develops wheezing and urticaria. The nurse administers epinephrine. After 5 minutes, symptoms persist. The nurse should:
Answer: Administer a second dose of epinephrine
If anaphylaxis symptoms persist after the first dose of epinephrine, a second dose may be administered 5–15 minutes after the first.
A nurse assesses a patient with a suspected stroke. Which assessment finding would make the nurse suspect a hemorrhagic stroke over an ischemic stroke?
Answer: Report of the 'worst headache of my life' with rapid onset
A sudden, severe 'thunderclap' headache described as the worst of one's life is a hallmark symptom of subarachnoid hemorrhage, a type of hemorrhagic stroke.
A patient presents with a core temperature of 28°C (82.4°F), absent shivering, bradycardia, and hypotension. The nurse recognizes this as:
Answer: Severe hypothermia
Severe hypothermia (below 30°C) is characterized by cessation of shivering, cardiovascular instability, and risk of cardiac arrest.
During a disaster drill, the incident commander asks the charge nurse to activate the hospital emergency operations plan. The nurse's first action is to:
Answer: Follow the chain of command as outlined in the hospital's emergency operations plan
The hospital's emergency operations plan establishes a clear chain of command through the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) that must be followed during any disaster.
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