Disaster Nursing Quiz: Mass Casualty Triage Skills

1. In the START triage system, what color tag indicates a patient who is deceased or unsalvageable?

Red

Yellow

Black

Green

2. Which of the following is the PRIMARY goal of mass casualty incident (MCI) triage?

Treat the most severely injured first

Allocate limited resources to maximize survival

Provide equal care to all patients

Document patient injuries comprehensively

3. A patient with a respiratory rate of 24, uncontrolled bleeding, and altered mental status would receive which START triage category?

Green (minor)

Yellow (delayed)

Red (immediate)

Black (expectant)

4. The Incident Command System (ICS) is designed to provide unified structure in disaster response. Which role is responsible for overall incident management?

Safety Officer

Incident Commander

Public Information Officer

Liaison Officer

5. In a bioterrorism event, what is the PRIMARY role of public health nursing?

Provide only clinical care to infected patients

Conduct epidemiological investigation and disease surveillance

Manage media communications exclusively

Deploy military personnel to affected areas

6. Which assessment finding in a disaster victim suggests tension pneumothorax requiring immediate needle decompression?

Decreased breath sounds and hypotension

Wheezing and productive cough

Hyperresonance to percussion and tracheal deviation

Crackles and peripheral edema

7. Psychological first aid in disasters focuses on which core intervention?

Administering anxiolytic medications immediately

Providing practical support and human connection

Forcing victims to discuss trauma details

Isolating affected individuals for observation

8. When establishing a field hospital during a disaster, infection control is compromised. Which measure is MOST critical?

Hand hygiene and wound care protocols

Routine prophylactic antibiotics for all patients

Strict isolation of all casualties

Delaying wound cleaning until hospital transfer

9. A nurse is triaging patients after a building collapse. Patient A has no pulse and apnea; Patient B has a respiratory rate of 8 and pale skin. How should resources be allocated ethically?

Resuscitate Patient A; comfort care for Patient B

Resuscitate Patient B; black-tag Patient A

Attempt resuscitation on both patients

Comfort care for both until resources arrive

10. In a chemical exposure disaster, what is the correct sequence of emergency decontamination?

Remove clothing → rinse with water → dry → medical assessment

Medical assessment → apply antidote → remove clothing

Apply protective gear → rinse → remove gear → assessment

Isolate → remove clothing → assess → rinse if stable

11. During a mass casualty event, which communication system is MOST reliable when standard infrastructure fails?

Cell phone networks

Radio and satellite communications

Internet-based email

Landline telephone systems

12. A disaster survivor exhibits hypervigilance, flashbacks, and avoidance behaviors days after the event. This presentation is consistent with which condition?

Acute Stress Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Adjustment Disorder only

13. Supply chain disruption is common in disasters. Which medication class should be prioritized for stockpiling in disaster preparedness plans?

Cosmetic dermatology agents

Antibiotics, analgesics, and cardiovascular medications

Experimental biologics

Non-essential supplements

14. In a pandemic response, what is the PRIMARY ethical principle guiding resource allocation when ventilators are insufficient?

First-come, first-served distribution

Maximize lives saved and life-years gained

Prioritize wealthy or high-status patients

Provide equal access regardless of prognosis

15. The Disaster Nursing Quiz: Can You Survive Mass Casualty Triage? assesses competency in field decision-making. Which skill is essential for nurses working in austere disaster environments?

Rapid assessment with minimal diagnostic tools

Dependence on advanced imaging and laboratory results

Waiting for specialist consultation before intervention

Performing only comfort care without assessment

Disaster Nursing Quiz: Can You Survive Mass Casualty Triage?