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Difficulty: MediumEmergency Response Plan

A community hospital is located in the direct path of an approaching tornado, and the facility's severe weather protocol has been activated. A nurse is working on a third-floor medical-surgical unit with a mix of ambulatory and bedbound clients. Which action should the nurse implement to ensure client safety?

  1. Move ambulatory clients and those in wheelchairs to windowless interior hallways.Answer
  2. B
    Open the windows in client rooms slightly to equalize atmospheric pressure.
  3. C
    Evacuate bedbound clients to the basement using the facility's service elevators.
  4. D
    Position bedbound clients flat on the floor directly beneath the exterior windows.

Answer

The correct action is to move ambulatory clients and those in wheelchairs to windowless interior hallways.
During a tornado warning, the immediate goal is to protect individuals from flying debris and shattering glass. Relocating clients who can be moved to interior, windowless areas (such as central hallways or bathrooms) places the maximum amount of structural reinforcement between them and the storm. If bedbound clients cannot be moved to the hallway, their beds should be moved as far from the windows as possible, and they should be covered with heavy blankets and pillows.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary environmental threats associated with a tornado.
Recognize that high winds, flying debris, and shattered glass pose the greatest risks to life safety.
Understanding the mechanism of injury guides the selection of the most effective protective measures.
2
Evaluate the safety of different locations within the hospital unit.
Determine that interior, windowless spaces (like hallways and bathrooms) are the safest, while exterior rooms with windows are the most dangerous.
Structural walls in the interior provide a barrier against wind and debris.
3
Assess the provided interventions against established emergency response protocols.
Identify that using elevators and opening windows are explicitly contraindicated during severe weather events.
Power outages can trap individuals in elevators, and opening windows increases exposure to the storm.
4
Select the action that maximizes client safety according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
Choose the intervention that proactively relocates clients away from the hazard zone.
Protecting clients from imminent physical harm is the highest priority in disaster response.

Key Concept

Severe Weather and Tornado Emergency Response Protocol
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Emergency Response Plan

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