Disaster Nursing - 2026 Emergency Response: Exam 3 -
Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. Disaster preparedness education for nurses is important because:
A. Many nurses report feeling unprepared to respond to disasters
B. All nurses are fully prepared
C. Disasters never occur
D. Training has no effect
Correct Answer: A. Many nurses report feeling unprepared to respond to disasters
Rationale: Studies show preparedness gaps. Education and drills improve readiness.
2. Slow-onset disasters differ from sudden-onset disasters in that they:
A. Strike without warning
B. Develop over time, such as droughts or famine
C. Last only minutes
D. Never cause deaths
Correct Answer: B. Develop over time, such as droughts or famine
Rationale: Warning time allows mitigation. Health effects may be prolonged.
3. FEMA's whole-community approach emphasizes:
A. Government action alone
B. Excluding volunteers
C. Engaging individuals, families, businesses, faith-based groups and government in
preparedness
D. Ignoring vulnerable groups
Correct Answer: C. Engaging individuals, families, businesses, faith-based groups and
government in preparedness
Rationale: Communities know their needs. Partnerships improve outcomes.
,4. A mass casualty event (MCE) differs from an MCI in that an MCE:
A. Involves fewer patients
B. Overwhelms regional resources and may require crisis standards of care
C. Is always handled by one hospital
D. Requires no special response
Correct Answer: B. Overwhelms regional resources and may require crisis standards of care
Rationale: MCEs exceed local and regional capacity. Altered standards may become necessary.
5. The response phase includes:
A. Long-term rebuilding
B. Immediate actions to save lives, meet basic needs and reduce further harm
C. Writing building codes
D. Purchasing insurance
Correct Answer: B. Immediate actions to save lives, meet basic needs and reduce further
harm
Rationale: Response begins at impact and may last days to weeks. Coordination is critical.
6. An emergency differs from a disaster in that an emergency:
A. Always overwhelms resources
B. Can usually be managed with local resources
C. Requires international aid
D. Never involves injuries
Correct Answer: B. Can usually be managed with local resources
Rationale: Disasters exceed local capacity. Classification guides activation.
,7. An all-hazards approach to emergency planning means:
A. Developing core capabilities that apply across many types of disasters, with specific annexes
as needed
B. Planning only for hurricanes
C. Ignoring rare events
D. Separate unrelated plans for every possible hazard
Correct Answer: A. Developing core capabilities that apply across many types of disasters,
with specific annexes as needed
Rationale: Common functions such as communication and evacuation apply broadly.
Hazard-specific annexes add detail.
8. Cascading failures in disasters refer to:
A. A single isolated event
B. Waterfall injuries
C. Successful recovery
D. One failure triggering others, such as a power outage causing water system and
communication failures
Correct Answer: D. One failure triggering others, such as a power outage causing water
system and communication failures
Rationale: Interdependent systems amplify impact. Planning addresses dependencies.
9. A nurse assigned to a HICS role should:
A. Act independently
B. Obtain the job action sheet, report to the designated supervisor and follow the incident
action plan
C. Leave the facility
D. Choose their own tasks
Correct Answer: B. Obtain the job action sheet, report to the designated supervisor and
follow the incident action plan
Rationale: Structure improves coordination. Job action sheets guide new roles.
, 10. An operational period in ICS is:
A. A break period
B. A shift change only
C. The time scheduled to accomplish objectives in an incident action plan, often 12 or 24 hours
D. A training period
Correct Answer: C. The time scheduled to accomplish objectives in an incident action plan,
often 12 or 24 hours
Rationale: Plans are updated each period. Briefings occur at transitions.
11. The safety officer in ICS:
A. Manages the budget
B. Speaks to the media
C. Monitors hazards and has authority to stop unsafe operations
D. Orders supplies
Correct Answer: C. Monitors hazards and has authority to stop unsafe operations
Rationale: Responder safety is paramount. The safety officer can halt activities immediately.
12. Unity of command in ICS means:
A. Everyone reports to the incident commander
B. Multiple supervisors give orders
C. No one supervises
D. Each person reports to only one designated supervisor
Correct Answer: D. Each person reports to only one designated supervisor
Rationale: Clear reporting prevents conflicting instructions. It improves accountability.
Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. Disaster preparedness education for nurses is important because:
A. Many nurses report feeling unprepared to respond to disasters
B. All nurses are fully prepared
C. Disasters never occur
D. Training has no effect
Correct Answer: A. Many nurses report feeling unprepared to respond to disasters
Rationale: Studies show preparedness gaps. Education and drills improve readiness.
2. Slow-onset disasters differ from sudden-onset disasters in that they:
A. Strike without warning
B. Develop over time, such as droughts or famine
C. Last only minutes
D. Never cause deaths
Correct Answer: B. Develop over time, such as droughts or famine
Rationale: Warning time allows mitigation. Health effects may be prolonged.
3. FEMA's whole-community approach emphasizes:
A. Government action alone
B. Excluding volunteers
C. Engaging individuals, families, businesses, faith-based groups and government in
preparedness
D. Ignoring vulnerable groups
Correct Answer: C. Engaging individuals, families, businesses, faith-based groups and
government in preparedness
Rationale: Communities know their needs. Partnerships improve outcomes.
,4. A mass casualty event (MCE) differs from an MCI in that an MCE:
A. Involves fewer patients
B. Overwhelms regional resources and may require crisis standards of care
C. Is always handled by one hospital
D. Requires no special response
Correct Answer: B. Overwhelms regional resources and may require crisis standards of care
Rationale: MCEs exceed local and regional capacity. Altered standards may become necessary.
5. The response phase includes:
A. Long-term rebuilding
B. Immediate actions to save lives, meet basic needs and reduce further harm
C. Writing building codes
D. Purchasing insurance
Correct Answer: B. Immediate actions to save lives, meet basic needs and reduce further
harm
Rationale: Response begins at impact and may last days to weeks. Coordination is critical.
6. An emergency differs from a disaster in that an emergency:
A. Always overwhelms resources
B. Can usually be managed with local resources
C. Requires international aid
D. Never involves injuries
Correct Answer: B. Can usually be managed with local resources
Rationale: Disasters exceed local capacity. Classification guides activation.
,7. An all-hazards approach to emergency planning means:
A. Developing core capabilities that apply across many types of disasters, with specific annexes
as needed
B. Planning only for hurricanes
C. Ignoring rare events
D. Separate unrelated plans for every possible hazard
Correct Answer: A. Developing core capabilities that apply across many types of disasters,
with specific annexes as needed
Rationale: Common functions such as communication and evacuation apply broadly.
Hazard-specific annexes add detail.
8. Cascading failures in disasters refer to:
A. A single isolated event
B. Waterfall injuries
C. Successful recovery
D. One failure triggering others, such as a power outage causing water system and
communication failures
Correct Answer: D. One failure triggering others, such as a power outage causing water
system and communication failures
Rationale: Interdependent systems amplify impact. Planning addresses dependencies.
9. A nurse assigned to a HICS role should:
A. Act independently
B. Obtain the job action sheet, report to the designated supervisor and follow the incident
action plan
C. Leave the facility
D. Choose their own tasks
Correct Answer: B. Obtain the job action sheet, report to the designated supervisor and
follow the incident action plan
Rationale: Structure improves coordination. Job action sheets guide new roles.
, 10. An operational period in ICS is:
A. A break period
B. A shift change only
C. The time scheduled to accomplish objectives in an incident action plan, often 12 or 24 hours
D. A training period
Correct Answer: C. The time scheduled to accomplish objectives in an incident action plan,
often 12 or 24 hours
Rationale: Plans are updated each period. Briefings occur at transitions.
11. The safety officer in ICS:
A. Manages the budget
B. Speaks to the media
C. Monitors hazards and has authority to stop unsafe operations
D. Orders supplies
Correct Answer: C. Monitors hazards and has authority to stop unsafe operations
Rationale: Responder safety is paramount. The safety officer can halt activities immediately.
12. Unity of command in ICS means:
A. Everyone reports to the incident commander
B. Multiple supervisors give orders
C. No one supervises
D. Each person reports to only one designated supervisor
Correct Answer: D. Each person reports to only one designated supervisor
Rationale: Clear reporting prevents conflicting instructions. It improves accountability.
