ER Nursing Quiz: Can You Triage Under Pressure?

1. A 45-year-old male presents with chest pain, shortness of breath, and diaphoresis. What triage level should this patient receive?

Level 1 (Emergent)

Level 2 (Urgent)

Level 3 (Semi-urgent)

Level 4 (Non-urgent)

2. A patient's blood pressure is 90/60 mmHg, heart rate 110 bpm, and respiratory rate 24/min. Which shock state is most likely?

Cardiogenic shock

Hypovolemic shock

Septic shock

Anaphylactic shock

3. A trauma patient has a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 8. What immediate action is indicated?

Observation and reassessment

Airway intubation

Pain management only

Transfer to general ward

4. Which vital sign abnormality is most concerning in a pediatric trauma patient?

Heart rate 120 bpm

Respiratory rate 28/min

Systolic BP 70 mmHg

Temperature 37.8°C

5. A patient presents with unequal breath sounds and tracheal deviation. What is the suspected diagnosis?

Pneumonia

Tension pneumothorax

Asthma exacerbation

Pulmonary edema

6. In ACLS, what is the recommended compression-to-ventilation ratio for adults?

15:2

30:2

100:1

Hands-only CPR (no ventilations)

7. A patient with suspected spinal injury presents. What is the priority intervention?

Perform neurological exam

Immobilize cervical spine

Obtain X-ray

Administer pain medication

8. Which patient presentation requires immediate isolation precautions?

Fever and cough with no respiratory symptoms

Fever, cough, and respiratory distress

Mild abdominal pain

Localized hand laceration

9. A patient presents with severe allergic reaction. Which medication is administered first?

Antihistamine

Epinephrine

Corticosteroid

Bronchodilator

10. The primary goal of triage in mass casualty incidents is to:

Provide immediate treatment to all patients

Allocate resources to maximize patient survival

Document all injuries comprehensively

Transport patients to nearest facility

11. A patient with a penetrating abdominal wound and signs of peritonitis requires which immediate intervention?

Oral fluids and observation

Surgical consultation and preparation for OR

Abdominal bandaging only

Discharge with wound care instructions

12. Which assessment finding indicates increased intracranial pressure?

Pinpoint pupils and bradycardia

Dilated pupils and tachycardia

Normal pupils and normal heart rate

Constricted pupils and tachypnea

13. A burn patient has burns covering 30% of body surface area. What fluid resuscitation approach is appropriate?

Minimal IV fluids; encourage oral intake

Lactated Ringer's using the Parkland formula

Normal saline only at maintenance rate

No fluids until airway is secured

14. A patient presents with acute limb ischemia. The priority nursing action is to:

Apply heat to increase circulation

Notify physician and document time of onset

Massage and exercise the limb

Wait for lab results before intervention

15. In emergency nursing, what does the 'C' in the ABCDE approach represent?

Circulation

Consciousness

Core temperature

Cardiac output