ATI Community Health: Disaster Preparedness & Triage
Exam 2026 UPDATED ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
1. A nurse is triaging victims at a mass casualty incident. Which victim should
the nurse assign a red tag?
A. A client who has a compound fracture of the femur and is alert.
B. A client who is unconscious and has a respiratory rate of 34/min.
C. A client who has a small laceration and is walking around the scene.
D. A client who has no spontaneous respirations even after the airway is opened.
Answer: B
Rationale: In the START triage system, a respiratory rate greater than 30/min or
unconsciousness indicates an immediate (red tag) priority.
2. Which action is a component of the mitigation phase of disaster
management?
A. Conducting disaster drills for local emergency responders.
B. Creating a family emergency communication plan.
C. Providing trauma counseling to disaster survivors.
D. Strengthening local building codes to withstand high winds.
Answer: D
Rationale: Mitigation (Prevention) involves activities to prevent a disaster or reduce the
damage from unavoidable disasters, such as improving infrastructure.
,3. A nurse is preparing a disaster kit. How much water should be included for a
family of four for 3 days?
A. 4 gallons
B. 8 gallons
C. 20 gallons
D. 12 gallons
Answer: D
Rationale: Preparedness guidelines recommend 1 gallon of water per person per day for at
least 3 days. 4 people x 3 days = 12 gallons.
4. A community health nurse is teaching a group about smallpox. Which
statement regarding smallpox lesions is correct?
A. Lesions appear in various stages of healing simultaneously.
B. Lesions are most dense on the trunk of the body.
C. Lesions first appear on the face and tongue.
D. Lesions are usually superficial and easily ruptured.
Answer: C
Rationale: Smallpox lesions typically appear first on the face and in the mouth and follow a
synchronous progression (all at the same stage), unlike chickenpox.
5. A nurse is triaging victims after a building collapse. A victim is conscious, can
follow commands, but has a large lower leg wound with a controlled bleed.
Which tag should be assigned?
A. Green
B. Red
C. Yellow
D. Black
Answer: C
, Rationale: Yellow tags are for ‘delayed’ victims who have significant injuries but are stable
enough to wait a short period (usually up to 2 hours) for care.
6. Which level of prevention is a nurse practicing when providing stress
management education to relief workers after a hurricane?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Quaternary prevention
D. Tertiary prevention
Answer: D
Rationale: Tertiary prevention in a disaster context involves activities aimed at
rehabilitation and preventing long-term complications like PTSD after the event.
7. A nurse is caring for a client with suspected inhalation anthrax. Which
isolation precaution should the nurse implement?
A. Airborne
B. Droplet
C. Standard
D. Contact
Answer: C
Rationale: Anthrax is not transmitted person-to-person; therefore, standard precautions
are sufficient for a client with anthrax.
8. A triage nurse at an explosion site assesses a victim who has a pulse but is not
breathing after opening the airway twice. What color tag should be assigned?
A. Red
B. Yellow
C. Black
D. Blue
Answer: C
Exam 2026 UPDATED ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
1. A nurse is triaging victims at a mass casualty incident. Which victim should
the nurse assign a red tag?
A. A client who has a compound fracture of the femur and is alert.
B. A client who is unconscious and has a respiratory rate of 34/min.
C. A client who has a small laceration and is walking around the scene.
D. A client who has no spontaneous respirations even after the airway is opened.
Answer: B
Rationale: In the START triage system, a respiratory rate greater than 30/min or
unconsciousness indicates an immediate (red tag) priority.
2. Which action is a component of the mitigation phase of disaster
management?
A. Conducting disaster drills for local emergency responders.
B. Creating a family emergency communication plan.
C. Providing trauma counseling to disaster survivors.
D. Strengthening local building codes to withstand high winds.
Answer: D
Rationale: Mitigation (Prevention) involves activities to prevent a disaster or reduce the
damage from unavoidable disasters, such as improving infrastructure.
,3. A nurse is preparing a disaster kit. How much water should be included for a
family of four for 3 days?
A. 4 gallons
B. 8 gallons
C. 20 gallons
D. 12 gallons
Answer: D
Rationale: Preparedness guidelines recommend 1 gallon of water per person per day for at
least 3 days. 4 people x 3 days = 12 gallons.
4. A community health nurse is teaching a group about smallpox. Which
statement regarding smallpox lesions is correct?
A. Lesions appear in various stages of healing simultaneously.
B. Lesions are most dense on the trunk of the body.
C. Lesions first appear on the face and tongue.
D. Lesions are usually superficial and easily ruptured.
Answer: C
Rationale: Smallpox lesions typically appear first on the face and in the mouth and follow a
synchronous progression (all at the same stage), unlike chickenpox.
5. A nurse is triaging victims after a building collapse. A victim is conscious, can
follow commands, but has a large lower leg wound with a controlled bleed.
Which tag should be assigned?
A. Green
B. Red
C. Yellow
D. Black
Answer: C
, Rationale: Yellow tags are for ‘delayed’ victims who have significant injuries but are stable
enough to wait a short period (usually up to 2 hours) for care.
6. Which level of prevention is a nurse practicing when providing stress
management education to relief workers after a hurricane?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Quaternary prevention
D. Tertiary prevention
Answer: D
Rationale: Tertiary prevention in a disaster context involves activities aimed at
rehabilitation and preventing long-term complications like PTSD after the event.
7. A nurse is caring for a client with suspected inhalation anthrax. Which
isolation precaution should the nurse implement?
A. Airborne
B. Droplet
C. Standard
D. Contact
Answer: C
Rationale: Anthrax is not transmitted person-to-person; therefore, standard precautions
are sufficient for a client with anthrax.
8. A triage nurse at an explosion site assesses a victim who has a pulse but is not
breathing after opening the airway twice. What color tag should be assigned?
A. Red
B. Yellow
C. Black
D. Blue
Answer: C
