HESI - Case Study - Natural Disaster in a
Small Community questions and answers
2025\2026 A+ Grade
The charge nurse is aware that the hospital has a disaster preparedness plan for such incidents. Which
key components should the nurse expect to be included in the plan? (Select all that apply. One, some, or
all responses may be correct.)
A. Effective triage strategy for clients.
B. Reminding staff that they are not going home.
C. Client care, communication, and safety.
D. Security, documentation, and resource allocation.
E.Placing an order for additional supplies.
- correct answer A. Effective triage strategy for clients.
The disaster plan includes a triage strategy plan based on assessment criteria to calculate the level of
severity of injury.
C. Client care, communication, and safety.
Clinical protocols, staffing procedures, staff education are key components of a preparedness plan and
should be developed and practiced beforehand.
D. Security, documentation, and resource allocation.
Security, documentation, and resource allocation are vital components to be included in any disaster
plan.
The new graduate nurse just started orientation 6 weeks ago in the Emergency Department (ED). After
receiving disaster training, which statement indicates that the new nurse understands what a disaster
could be?
A. An internal disaster is anything that occurs outside the hospital.
, B.An external disaster is anything that endangers clients, staff, or requires evacuation or relocation with
or without notice.
C. An internal disaster is anything that doesn't impair the operations of the hospital but disrupts normal
client care.
D. A disaster could be internal or external in scope. An event occurring inside a healthcare facility or
campus that could endanger the safety of patients or staff is considered an internal disaster. An event
outside the healthcare facility or campus, somewhere in the community, which requires the activation
of the facility's emergency management plan, is considered an external disaster.
- correct answer D. A disaster could be internal or external in scope. An event occurring inside a
healthcare facility or campus that could endanger the safety of patients or staff is considered an internal
disaster. An event outside the healthcare facility or campus, somewhere in the community, which
requires the activation of the facility's emergency management plan, is considered an external disaster.
Based on the participation of emergency preparedness drills, a nurse should know that a hospital
disaster plan is divided into two categories: internal and external. An internal disaster is any situation
that creates an environment that disrupts normal client care like a power outage, fire, or flood, as
opposed to an external disaster, which may yield a large influx of clients to the hospital in a short time
period. Both internal and external disasters could occur at the same time.
When setting up decontamination tents, it is imperative to set up a flow that includes which areas?
(Select all that apply. One, some, or all options may be correct.)
A. Set up an initial triage, a decontamination area, second triage, and treatment area.
B. Set up an area for clients not requiring decontamination.
C. Set up a separate lane for clients arriving by EMS transport that have been decontaminated but did
not sustain life threatening injuries.
D. Set up a fast track area for clients with life threatening injuries that would allow delivering basic life-
saving treatment during decontamination.
E. The order of the decontamination does not matter because at that point nurses just want to quickly
assess any life-threatening injuries.
- correct answer A. Set up an initial triage, a decontamination area, second triage, and treatment area.
Small Community questions and answers
2025\2026 A+ Grade
The charge nurse is aware that the hospital has a disaster preparedness plan for such incidents. Which
key components should the nurse expect to be included in the plan? (Select all that apply. One, some, or
all responses may be correct.)
A. Effective triage strategy for clients.
B. Reminding staff that they are not going home.
C. Client care, communication, and safety.
D. Security, documentation, and resource allocation.
E.Placing an order for additional supplies.
- correct answer A. Effective triage strategy for clients.
The disaster plan includes a triage strategy plan based on assessment criteria to calculate the level of
severity of injury.
C. Client care, communication, and safety.
Clinical protocols, staffing procedures, staff education are key components of a preparedness plan and
should be developed and practiced beforehand.
D. Security, documentation, and resource allocation.
Security, documentation, and resource allocation are vital components to be included in any disaster
plan.
The new graduate nurse just started orientation 6 weeks ago in the Emergency Department (ED). After
receiving disaster training, which statement indicates that the new nurse understands what a disaster
could be?
A. An internal disaster is anything that occurs outside the hospital.
, B.An external disaster is anything that endangers clients, staff, or requires evacuation or relocation with
or without notice.
C. An internal disaster is anything that doesn't impair the operations of the hospital but disrupts normal
client care.
D. A disaster could be internal or external in scope. An event occurring inside a healthcare facility or
campus that could endanger the safety of patients or staff is considered an internal disaster. An event
outside the healthcare facility or campus, somewhere in the community, which requires the activation
of the facility's emergency management plan, is considered an external disaster.
- correct answer D. A disaster could be internal or external in scope. An event occurring inside a
healthcare facility or campus that could endanger the safety of patients or staff is considered an internal
disaster. An event outside the healthcare facility or campus, somewhere in the community, which
requires the activation of the facility's emergency management plan, is considered an external disaster.
Based on the participation of emergency preparedness drills, a nurse should know that a hospital
disaster plan is divided into two categories: internal and external. An internal disaster is any situation
that creates an environment that disrupts normal client care like a power outage, fire, or flood, as
opposed to an external disaster, which may yield a large influx of clients to the hospital in a short time
period. Both internal and external disasters could occur at the same time.
When setting up decontamination tents, it is imperative to set up a flow that includes which areas?
(Select all that apply. One, some, or all options may be correct.)
A. Set up an initial triage, a decontamination area, second triage, and treatment area.
B. Set up an area for clients not requiring decontamination.
C. Set up a separate lane for clients arriving by EMS transport that have been decontaminated but did
not sustain life threatening injuries.
D. Set up a fast track area for clients with life threatening injuries that would allow delivering basic life-
saving treatment during decontamination.
E. The order of the decontamination does not matter because at that point nurses just want to quickly
assess any life-threatening injuries.
- correct answer A. Set up an initial triage, a decontamination area, second triage, and treatment area.
