Virginia Disaster Response Nurse Exam
Practice Questions & [Verified Answers],
Plus Explained Rationales|2027 Latest
Update| Instant Download PDF
Question 1
During the initial phase of a disaster response, what is the nurse's
highest priority when arriving at a disaster scene?
A. Begin treating the most seriously injured patient immediately
B. Establish scene safety and identify hazards
C. Obtain complete medical histories from victims
D. Transport patients to the nearest hospital
Answer: B. Establish scene safety and identify hazards
Rationale: Scene safety is the first priority because responders cannot
safely provide care if they become injured or exposed to hazards. The
nurse should assess environmental threats, personal protective
equipment requirements, and the need for additional resources before
initiating patient care.
Question 2
A disaster nurse encounters multiple victims with varying degrees of
injury. Which triage principle should guide the nurse's decisions?
A. Treat patients in the order they arrived
B. Treat patients with the most painful injuries first
1|Page
,C. Prioritize patients according to urgency and likelihood of benefit
from available resources
D. Treat children before adults regardless of injury severity
Answer: C. Prioritize patients according to urgency and likelihood of
benefit from available resources
Rationale: Disaster triage prioritizes patients according to clinical
urgency and the likelihood that available resources can produce
meaningful benefit. This differs from routine clinical care, where the
sickest patient generally receives immediate attention.
Question 3
Which patient would generally receive the highest priority during mass-
casualty triage?
A. Patient with minor abrasions who is ambulatory
B. Patient with a closed forearm fracture and stable vital signs
C. Patient with severe respiratory distress who may improve with
immediate intervention
D. Patient who is deceased and has no signs of life
Answer: C. Patient with severe respiratory distress who may improve
with immediate intervention
Rationale: A patient with potentially reversible life-threatening
respiratory compromise may receive immediate priority because
prompt intervention could significantly improve survival. Walking
wounded and deceased patients are assigned lower triage priorities.
Question 4
2|Page
,A disaster nurse is performing rapid triage and finds an adult patient
who is not breathing. After opening the airway, the patient begins
breathing spontaneously. What is the most appropriate triage
consideration?
A. Assign the patient the lowest priority because breathing was initially
absent
B. Assign the patient an immediate/high-priority category according to
the triage system being used
C. Send the patient directly home
D. Delay reassessment until all other patients have been evaluated
Answer: B. Assign the patient an immediate/high-priority category
according to the triage system being used
Rationale: In common mass-casualty triage systems, a previously
apneic patient who begins breathing after a basic airway maneuver is
considered a high-priority patient because airway compromise is
potentially reversible.
Question 5
Which action best demonstrates effective disaster preparedness by a
nurse?
A. Waiting until an emergency occurs to review the emergency plan
B. Participating in drills and maintaining familiarity with emergency
response procedures
C. Avoiding disaster training because hospital administrators manage
emergencies
D. Memorizing only the telephone numbers of emergency departments
3|Page
, Answer: B. Participating in drills and maintaining familiarity with
emergency response procedures
Rationale: Preparedness involves training, drills, competency
assessment, communication planning, and familiarity with emergency
procedures before an incident occurs.
Question 6
During a disaster, a nurse is assigned to the triage area. Which
assessment should be performed first?
A. Complete medication reconciliation
B. Detailed psychosocial history
C. Rapid assessment of airway, breathing, circulation, and ability to
follow commands
D. Full head-to-toe examination
Answer: C. Rapid assessment of airway, breathing, circulation, and
ability to follow commands
Rationale: Disaster triage requires rapid identification of immediately
life-threatening problems. Detailed assessments are generally
deferred until the patient has been categorized and resources permit
further evaluation.
Question 7
A chemical release occurs near a healthcare facility. What should the
disaster nurse do before bringing contaminated patients into the
emergency department?
4|Page
Practice Questions & [Verified Answers],
Plus Explained Rationales|2027 Latest
Update| Instant Download PDF
Question 1
During the initial phase of a disaster response, what is the nurse's
highest priority when arriving at a disaster scene?
A. Begin treating the most seriously injured patient immediately
B. Establish scene safety and identify hazards
C. Obtain complete medical histories from victims
D. Transport patients to the nearest hospital
Answer: B. Establish scene safety and identify hazards
Rationale: Scene safety is the first priority because responders cannot
safely provide care if they become injured or exposed to hazards. The
nurse should assess environmental threats, personal protective
equipment requirements, and the need for additional resources before
initiating patient care.
Question 2
A disaster nurse encounters multiple victims with varying degrees of
injury. Which triage principle should guide the nurse's decisions?
A. Treat patients in the order they arrived
B. Treat patients with the most painful injuries first
1|Page
,C. Prioritize patients according to urgency and likelihood of benefit
from available resources
D. Treat children before adults regardless of injury severity
Answer: C. Prioritize patients according to urgency and likelihood of
benefit from available resources
Rationale: Disaster triage prioritizes patients according to clinical
urgency and the likelihood that available resources can produce
meaningful benefit. This differs from routine clinical care, where the
sickest patient generally receives immediate attention.
Question 3
Which patient would generally receive the highest priority during mass-
casualty triage?
A. Patient with minor abrasions who is ambulatory
B. Patient with a closed forearm fracture and stable vital signs
C. Patient with severe respiratory distress who may improve with
immediate intervention
D. Patient who is deceased and has no signs of life
Answer: C. Patient with severe respiratory distress who may improve
with immediate intervention
Rationale: A patient with potentially reversible life-threatening
respiratory compromise may receive immediate priority because
prompt intervention could significantly improve survival. Walking
wounded and deceased patients are assigned lower triage priorities.
Question 4
2|Page
,A disaster nurse is performing rapid triage and finds an adult patient
who is not breathing. After opening the airway, the patient begins
breathing spontaneously. What is the most appropriate triage
consideration?
A. Assign the patient the lowest priority because breathing was initially
absent
B. Assign the patient an immediate/high-priority category according to
the triage system being used
C. Send the patient directly home
D. Delay reassessment until all other patients have been evaluated
Answer: B. Assign the patient an immediate/high-priority category
according to the triage system being used
Rationale: In common mass-casualty triage systems, a previously
apneic patient who begins breathing after a basic airway maneuver is
considered a high-priority patient because airway compromise is
potentially reversible.
Question 5
Which action best demonstrates effective disaster preparedness by a
nurse?
A. Waiting until an emergency occurs to review the emergency plan
B. Participating in drills and maintaining familiarity with emergency
response procedures
C. Avoiding disaster training because hospital administrators manage
emergencies
D. Memorizing only the telephone numbers of emergency departments
3|Page
, Answer: B. Participating in drills and maintaining familiarity with
emergency response procedures
Rationale: Preparedness involves training, drills, competency
assessment, communication planning, and familiarity with emergency
procedures before an incident occurs.
Question 6
During a disaster, a nurse is assigned to the triage area. Which
assessment should be performed first?
A. Complete medication reconciliation
B. Detailed psychosocial history
C. Rapid assessment of airway, breathing, circulation, and ability to
follow commands
D. Full head-to-toe examination
Answer: C. Rapid assessment of airway, breathing, circulation, and
ability to follow commands
Rationale: Disaster triage requires rapid identification of immediately
life-threatening problems. Detailed assessments are generally
deferred until the patient has been categorized and resources permit
further evaluation.
Question 7
A chemical release occurs near a healthcare facility. What should the
disaster nurse do before bringing contaminated patients into the
emergency department?
4|Page
