Which action will the community health nurse take during the primary prevention stage of bioterrorism preparedness?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Participating in disaster simulations. During the primary prevention stage of bioterrorism preparedness, the focus is on preventing the event from occurring. By participating in disaster simulations, the community health nurse can practice response protocols, identify gaps in preparedness, and enhance coordination with other agencies. This proactive approach helps in developing effective response strategies and improving overall readiness. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect: B: Recognizing signs and symptoms of a bioterrorist attack - This is more relevant to the early detection and response stages, not primary prevention. C: Immediately treating disease caused by a biologic agent - This is part of the secondary prevention stage focused on early treatment to prevent complications. D: Responding to the psychological aftermath of the bioterrorism event - This falls under the tertiary prevention stage, which involves addressing the long-term consequences of the event.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Mitigation refers to actions to prevent specific disasters from occurring or to reduce the severity of a disaster's effects if it cannot be avoided. Providing community educational programs on disaster preparedness is the only intervention that addresses mitigation. Requesting donations be sent to the affected area occurs during the disaster and is known as the response. Developing a notification procedure would occur as part of the preparedness stage. Depending on the timing of the recruitment, this would be part of either the preparedness or response stage.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The level of community preparedness for a disaster is only as good as the people and organizations in the community make it. Although natural disasters cannot be prevented, much can be done to minimize further increases in accidents, death, and destruction after impact. A concise, realistic, and well-rehearsed disaster plan is essential for managing the response to disaster. Open, clear, and ongoing communication among involved workers and organizations is critical. A disaster planning meeting among community agencies would not impact the stability or functioning of the community. The communication among the agencies that are present may be improved; however, the group is meeting for a specific purpose so the overall communication may not change, and there may be agencies that are not represented at the meeting.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: An unannounced dissemination of a biological agent may easily go unnoticed, and the victims may have left the area of exposure long before the act of terrorism is recognized. Therefore, the first and most important aspect is recognizing that an outbreak has occurred by noting the increase in people presenting with similar signs and symptoms. After the similar signs and symptoms have been detected, the next step is striving to identify the biological or chemical agent. Then the nurse will identify factors that place people at risk, implement measures to control the outbreak, and finally, inform the medical and public communities about treatments, health consequences and preventive measures.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Triage is the process of separating casualties and allocating treatment on the basis of the victims' potentials for survival. The nurse will determine how seriously hurt individuals are and who should get care first, with the first priority being those who have life-threatening injuries but will probably survive if treated quickly. Although the textbook does not address the issue, because of the limited resources in a disaster situation and the fact that only the nurse is currently available to give care, seriously hurt individuals with head or chest injuries that have only a small chance of surviving are not treated. Those who do not have life-threatening injuries and are mobile and functioning are not given priority during the triage process.