A nurse enters a client's room and sees smoke coming from the client's trash can.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Confine the fire by closing doors and windows.
Activate the fire alarm system.
Extinguish the fire if possible.
Rescue the client from immediate danger.
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A rationale:
Confine the fire by closing doors and windows. While confining the fire is important, the nurse's first priority should be ensuring the safety of the client. Closing doors and windows may help prevent the fire from spreading, but it does not address the immediate danger to the client.
Choice B rationale:
Activate the fire alarm system. Activating the fire alarm is a crucial step to alert other staff members, patients, and visitors about the fire. However, it is not the first action the nurse should take. Ensuring the safety of the client should be the top priority.
Choice C rationale:
Extinguish the fire if possible. Attempting to extinguish the fire can be dangerous for the nurse and may waste precious time. The nurse's safety and the client's safety should be the primary concern. Trying to put out the fire before ensuring the client's safety is not the best course of action.
Choice D rationale:
Rescue the client from immediate danger. This is the correct answer because the nurse's first priority in a fire emergency is to ensure the safety of the client. Rescuing the client from immediate danger should be done before any other actions are taken. The nurse should assess the situation, help the client to safety, and then notify others about the fire and activate the alarm system.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Ears are located on the sides of the head, not between the cranial and thoracic cavities. The ears are lateral structures on the head.
Choice B rationale:
Elbow is a joint located in the upper limb, specifically in the arm. It is not between the cranial and thoracic cavities. The elbow is a joint that allows the forearm to bend.
Choice C rationale:
Knee is a joint in the lower limb, connecting the thigh bone to the shin bone. It is not located between the cranial and thoracic cavities. The knee joint allows for movements like bending and straightening of the leg.
Choice D rationale:
The nape of the neck refers to the back of the neck. It is the posterior part of the neck, located between the cranial (head) and thoracic (upper chest) cavities. The nape of the neck is a specific anatomical location.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
The correct answer is choice C: Move any clients to safety.
Choice C rationale: The nurse's priority is always client safety. In the event of an electrical issue that poses a potential risk, such as smoke or fire, the nurse should first ensure that any clients in the area are moved to a safe location. This aligns with the widely-used RACE acronym for fire response (Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish), which highlights the importance of removing individuals from danger before attending to other aspects of fire safety.
Choice A rationale: Using a fire extinguisher is an appropriate action to take when dealing with a small, manageable fire. However, in this scenario, ensuring client safety takes precedence over attempting to extinguish the source of the smoke. This is also in line with the RACE mnemonic, which emphasizes the importance of prioritizing evacuation.
Choice B rationale: Activating the fire alarm is an important step to alert others in the building about a potential fire and the need for evacuation. However, the priority remains client safety, so moving clients to a safe location should be the nurse's initial response, following the RACE acronym.
In summary, the nurse's priority action when encountering an electrical hazard is to move clients to safety. After ensuring client safety, the nurse can then activate the fire alarm and, if trained to do so, use a fire extinguisher on the outlet if necessary. This approach aligns with the RACE mnemonic, which serves as a guideline for fire response.
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