Test Bank Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 11th
Edition by Jacqueline Burchum, Laura Rosenthal Chapter 1-
112|Complete Guide A+
1. A patient reported to have been exposed to mustard gas is brought to the emergency
department. The patient‘s skin is red and swollen with small blisters, and the patient‘s eyes are red
and tearing. The patient has a runny nose and a dry, barking cough. What should the nurse‘s initial
action be?
a. Prepare for renal dialysis.
b. Provide oxygen and prepare for mechanical ventilation.
c. Remove the patient‘s clothing and clean the skin with soap and water.
d. Rush the patient to the intensive care unit for cardiorespiratory monitoring.
ANS: C
Patients exposed to sulfur mustard should undress immediately and wash three times with soap and water.
Renal dialysis is not indicated. Oxygen may be useful but is not as important as decontamination. Rushing
the patient to the ICU should not be the initial action.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Sulfur Mustard (Mustard Gas) | Treatment
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
2. A nurse is teaching a course in bioterrorism to a group of military nurses. Which statement
by a military nurse indicates understanding of the teaching?
a. ―Although smallpox has been eradicated, it remains a threat.‖
b. ―Anthrax is spread rapidly from person to person.‖
c. ―Pneumonic plague is not transmitted from person to person.‖
d. ―Terrorists spreading tularemia would most likely put it in the water supply.‖
ANS: A
Smallpox has been eradicated as an endemic disease but it remains a threat because so many people are
un-immunized. The virus is still available in laboratories throughout the world. Anthrax is not spread from
person to person. Pneumonic plague is spread from person to person. Tularemia would be spread by
terrorists as an aerosol.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Bacteria and Viruses | Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax) | Francisella tularensis (Tularemia) |
, Test Bank Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 11th
Edition by Jacqueline Burchum, Laura Rosenthal Chapter 1-
112|Complete Guide A+
Yersinia pestis (Pneumonic Plague) | Variola Virus (Smallpox) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC:
NCLEX Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
3. A nurse responds when a patient asks why the smallpox vaccine is no longer given. Which
statement by the patient indicates a need for further teaching? a. ―The smallpox vaccine can
cause serious side effects.‖
b. ―The smallpox vaccine can confer protection when given after exposure.‖
c. ―The smallpox vaccine is too expensive to give routinely.‖
d. ―The smallpox vaccine may cause live virus to spread to others.‖
ANS: C
, Test Bank Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 11th
Edition by Jacqueline Burchum, Laura Rosenthal Chapter 1-
112|Complete Guide A+
The smallpox vaccine can cause serious side effects and the live virus in the vaccine may be transmitted to
others. Since it can confer protection even after exposure to the illness, it may be given when needed. It is
not true that it is withheld because it is too expensive.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Variola Virus (Smallpox) | Smallpox Vaccine | Efficacy | Duration of Protection | Adverse
Effects | Who Should Not be Vaccinated? TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX Client Needs
Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
4. A group of people has been exposed to ricin by inhalation of ricin mist. When preparing to
receive these victims in the emergency department, nurses will prepare to: a. administer antidotes.
b. give chelating agents.
c. provide respiratory support.
d. start hemodialysis.
ANS: C
Within a few hours of inhaling ricin mist, victims experience coughing, tightness in the chest, difficulty
breathing, nausea, and muscle aches. The airway may become severely inflamed and edematous and
breathing can become extremely difficult. Management of poisoning with ricin is purely supportive. There is
no antidote or chelating agent. Hemodialysis is not indicated.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Ricin | Clinical Manifestations | Treatment
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control
5. Terrorists have detonated a ―dirty bomb‖ in a shopping center. Nurses are called to the
site to assist with triage of victims. Besides treating injuries incurred from the blast itself, the
priorities for treatment for most of the victims will include: a. administering potassium iodide as
soon as possible.
b. giving Prussian blue and monitoring electrolytes.
c. monitoring urine and stool samples for radioactivity.
d. removing clothing and bathing victims.
, Test Bank Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 11th
Edition by Jacqueline Burchum, Laura Rosenthal Chapter 1-
112|Complete Guide A+
ANS: D
The primary danger from a dirty bomb is the blast itself, and not the radiation, since dispersal of the
radiation is limited to a relatively small area. Persons exposed should remove clothing as soon as possible
and then decontaminate the skin by showering or bathing. Since dirty bombs do not release iodine-131,
taking potassium iodide is of no benefit. Prussian blue is used to hasten excretion of radioactive cesium and
radioactive and non-radioactive thallium. Patients treated with Prussian blue should have close monitoring
of stools and urine.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Radiologic Weapons | Dirty Bombs (Radiologic Dispersion Devices) | Drugs for Radiation Emergencies |
Potassium Iodide | Prussian Blue
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Edition by Jacqueline Burchum, Laura Rosenthal Chapter 1-
112|Complete Guide A+
1. A patient reported to have been exposed to mustard gas is brought to the emergency
department. The patient‘s skin is red and swollen with small blisters, and the patient‘s eyes are red
and tearing. The patient has a runny nose and a dry, barking cough. What should the nurse‘s initial
action be?
a. Prepare for renal dialysis.
b. Provide oxygen and prepare for mechanical ventilation.
c. Remove the patient‘s clothing and clean the skin with soap and water.
d. Rush the patient to the intensive care unit for cardiorespiratory monitoring.
ANS: C
Patients exposed to sulfur mustard should undress immediately and wash three times with soap and water.
Renal dialysis is not indicated. Oxygen may be useful but is not as important as decontamination. Rushing
the patient to the ICU should not be the initial action.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Sulfur Mustard (Mustard Gas) | Treatment
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
2. A nurse is teaching a course in bioterrorism to a group of military nurses. Which statement
by a military nurse indicates understanding of the teaching?
a. ―Although smallpox has been eradicated, it remains a threat.‖
b. ―Anthrax is spread rapidly from person to person.‖
c. ―Pneumonic plague is not transmitted from person to person.‖
d. ―Terrorists spreading tularemia would most likely put it in the water supply.‖
ANS: A
Smallpox has been eradicated as an endemic disease but it remains a threat because so many people are
un-immunized. The virus is still available in laboratories throughout the world. Anthrax is not spread from
person to person. Pneumonic plague is spread from person to person. Tularemia would be spread by
terrorists as an aerosol.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Bacteria and Viruses | Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax) | Francisella tularensis (Tularemia) |
, Test Bank Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 11th
Edition by Jacqueline Burchum, Laura Rosenthal Chapter 1-
112|Complete Guide A+
Yersinia pestis (Pneumonic Plague) | Variola Virus (Smallpox) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC:
NCLEX Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
3. A nurse responds when a patient asks why the smallpox vaccine is no longer given. Which
statement by the patient indicates a need for further teaching? a. ―The smallpox vaccine can
cause serious side effects.‖
b. ―The smallpox vaccine can confer protection when given after exposure.‖
c. ―The smallpox vaccine is too expensive to give routinely.‖
d. ―The smallpox vaccine may cause live virus to spread to others.‖
ANS: C
, Test Bank Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 11th
Edition by Jacqueline Burchum, Laura Rosenthal Chapter 1-
112|Complete Guide A+
The smallpox vaccine can cause serious side effects and the live virus in the vaccine may be transmitted to
others. Since it can confer protection even after exposure to the illness, it may be given when needed. It is
not true that it is withheld because it is too expensive.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Variola Virus (Smallpox) | Smallpox Vaccine | Efficacy | Duration of Protection | Adverse
Effects | Who Should Not be Vaccinated? TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX Client Needs
Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
4. A group of people has been exposed to ricin by inhalation of ricin mist. When preparing to
receive these victims in the emergency department, nurses will prepare to: a. administer antidotes.
b. give chelating agents.
c. provide respiratory support.
d. start hemodialysis.
ANS: C
Within a few hours of inhaling ricin mist, victims experience coughing, tightness in the chest, difficulty
breathing, nausea, and muscle aches. The airway may become severely inflamed and edematous and
breathing can become extremely difficult. Management of poisoning with ricin is purely supportive. There is
no antidote or chelating agent. Hemodialysis is not indicated.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Ricin | Clinical Manifestations | Treatment
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control
5. Terrorists have detonated a ―dirty bomb‖ in a shopping center. Nurses are called to the
site to assist with triage of victims. Besides treating injuries incurred from the blast itself, the
priorities for treatment for most of the victims will include: a. administering potassium iodide as
soon as possible.
b. giving Prussian blue and monitoring electrolytes.
c. monitoring urine and stool samples for radioactivity.
d. removing clothing and bathing victims.
, Test Bank Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 11th
Edition by Jacqueline Burchum, Laura Rosenthal Chapter 1-
112|Complete Guide A+
ANS: D
The primary danger from a dirty bomb is the blast itself, and not the radiation, since dispersal of the
radiation is limited to a relatively small area. Persons exposed should remove clothing as soon as possible
and then decontaminate the skin by showering or bathing. Since dirty bombs do not release iodine-131,
taking potassium iodide is of no benefit. Prussian blue is used to hasten excretion of radioactive cesium and
radioactive and non-radioactive thallium. Patients treated with Prussian blue should have close monitoring
of stools and urine.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Radiologic Weapons | Dirty Bombs (Radiologic Dispersion Devices) | Drugs for Radiation Emergencies |
Potassium Iodide | Prussian Blue
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
