MCQ Quiz: Emergency & Disaster Response

The “Response” phase of a disaster involves the immediate actions taken to save lives, meet basic human needs, and reduce the event’s overall impact. Pharmacists are critical front-line members of this response,This quiz covers the general principles of a pharmacist’s role and responsibilities during the response to an emergency or disaster.

1. The “Response” phase of emergency management is best described as:

• a. Actions taken to prevent a disaster from occurring.
• b. Actions taken immediately during and after a disaster to save lives and provide assistance.
• c. The long-term rebuilding process after a disaster.
• d. Writing a report about what happened.

Answer: b. Actions taken immediately during and after a disaster to save lives and provide assistance.

2. During a declared state of emergency, a pharmacist’s ability to dispense emergency refills is typically governed by:

• a. The pharmacist’s personal judgment only.
• b. Federal law exclusively.
• c. State-specific laws and emergency orders.
• d. The patient’s insurance company.

Answer: c. State-specific laws and emergency orders.

3. The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized approach used to manage the response to an emergency. Its primary purpose is to:

• a. Ensure responders from different agencies can work together effectively.
• b. Assign blame after the event.
• c. Manage financial resources only.
• d. Communicate with the media.

Answer: a. Ensure responders from different agencies can work together effectively.

4. A Point of Dispensing (POD) is a site set up during a public health emergency to rapidly provide what to a large population?

• a. Primary care services
• b. Mental health counseling
• c. Medications or vaccines
• d. Food and water

Answer: c. Medications or vaccines

5. A pharmacist working at a POD during an anthrax exposure event would primarily be responsible for dispensing:

• a. Pain relievers
• b. Prophylactic antibiotics like doxycycline or ciprofloxacin.
• c. Antivirals
• d. Saline solution

Answer: b. Prophylactic antibiotics like doxycycline or ciprofloxacin.

6. What is the most critical immediate concern for a patient with Type 1 Diabetes who has been evacuated from their home during a flood?

• a. Obtaining a new glucometer.
• b. Accessing insulin and keeping it at a safe temperature.
• c. Scheduling their next A1c test.
• d. Finding low-carbohydrate food.

Answer: b. Accessing insulin and keeping it at a safe temperature.

7. A “triage” process is used during a mass casualty incident to:

• a. Treat all patients in the order they arrived.
• b. Prioritize treatment for those with the most severe, life-threatening injuries.
• c. Provide comfort care only.
• d. Document patient information.

Answer: b. Prioritize treatment for those with the most severe, life-threatening injuries.

8. In the immediate response to a disaster, a community pharmacy often becomes a crucial hub for:

• a. Reliable health information.
• b. First aid supplies.
• c. Emergency refills of chronic medications.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

9. What is a primary challenge for pharmacy operations during a large-scale power outage?

• a. An increase in customers.
• b. Maintaining the cold chain for refrigerated medications.
• c. Operating computers, printers, and phones.
• d. Both b and c.

Answer: d. Both b and c.

10. After a natural disaster, patients with chronic conditions like hypertension and heart failure are at increased risk due to:

• a. Interruption of their medication therapy.
• b. Increased stress.
• c. Potential lack of access to healthy food and clean water.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

11. A key role for a pharmacist in a disaster shelter is:

• a. To act as the shelter manager.
• b. To perform medication reconciliation for residents and assist in obtaining necessary medications.
• c. To cook meals for the residents.
• d. To provide long-term psychiatric care.

Answer: b. To perform medication reconciliation for residents and assist in obtaining necessary medications.

12. During the response phase, it is critical for pharmacists to have access to reliable:

• a. Social media feeds.
• b. Communication channels with public health officials and other emergency responders.
• c. News reports.
• d. The pharmacy’s financial records.

Answer: b. Communication channels with public health officials and other emergency responders.

13. A patient brings a medication bottle to the pharmacy that has been submerged in floodwater. The pharmacist should advise the patient to:

• a. Use the medication if the tablets look dry.
• b. Discard the medication as it may be contaminated, and assist the patient in obtaining a replacement.
• c. Wash the tablets off and take them.
• d. Take a double dose to be safe.

Answer: b. Discard the medication as it may be contaminated, and assist the patient in obtaining a replacement.

14. The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) contains “push packs.” What are these?

• a. Kits for pushing stalled vehicles.
• b. Pre-packaged caches of broad-spectrum supplies and medications that can be deployed within 12 hours.
• c. Backpacks for first responders.
• d. Marketing materials from drug companies.

Answer: b. Pre-packaged caches of broad-spectrum supplies and medications that can be deployed within 12 hours.

15. A pharmacist volunteering with an organization like the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) would be part of the:

• a. Preparedness phase.
• b. Response phase.
• c. Recovery phase.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

16. A key principle of disaster response is to work within your scope of practice.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

17. Why is it important for a pharmacist to have a personal emergency plan?

• a. So they can take care of their own family’s safety, allowing them to assist in the community response if able.
• b. It is a legal requirement to practice pharmacy.
• c. It is not important.
• d. To ensure they can get to the pharmacy first.

Answer: a. So they can take care of their own family’s safety, allowing them to assist in the community response if able.

18. During a widespread emergency, a pharmacist’s ability to verify a prescription with a prescriber may be compromised due to:

• a. Downed phone lines.
• b. Overwhelmed clinics and hospitals.
• c. Power outages affecting EHRs.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

19. What is NOT a primary focus during the immediate response phase?

• a. Saving lives
• b. Stabilizing the incident
• c. Conducting a long-term economic impact study
• d. Providing for basic human needs (water, food, shelter)

Answer: c. Conducting a long-term economic impact study

20. A pharmacist’s knowledge of _________ is critical when an emergency formulary or assets from the SNS arrive.

• a. therapeutics and drug interchange
• b. pharmacy law
• c. logistics and inventory management
• d. all of the above

Answer: d. all of the above

21. A patient needs an emergency 3-day supply of their lisinopril after a disaster. This is an example of what kind of response activity?

• a. Promoting public health.
• b. Ensuring continuity of care.
• c. Triaging patients.
• d. Compounding.

Answer: b. Ensuring continuity of care.

22. During a pandemic response, pharmacists are crucial for:

• a. Administering vaccines.
• b. Dispensing antiviral medications.
• c. Combating medical misinformation.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

23. The first step in responding to a chemical spill near the pharmacy is to:

• a. Go outside to investigate.
• b. Consult with authorities and follow shelter-in-place or evacuation orders.
• c. Continue operating as normal.
• d. Start compounding antidotes.

Answer: b. Consult with authorities and follow shelter-in-place or evacuation orders.

24. A major challenge during disaster response is managing:

• a. A surge of patients with acute and chronic conditions.
• b. The mental and physical health of the responders themselves.
• c. Limited resources and supplies.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

25. A pharmacist can assist in the response to a radiation emergency by helping to dispense:

• a. Potassium iodide (KI).
• b. Ciprofloxacin.
• c. Atropine.
• d. Naloxone.

Answer: a. Potassium iodide (KI).

26. The purpose of potassium iodide (KI) in a radiation emergency is to:

• a. Treat radiation sickness.
• b. Block the thyroid gland’s uptake of radioactive iodine.
• c. Act as a broad-spectrum antidote.
• d. Protect the skin from radiation.

Answer: b. Block the thyroid gland’s uptake of radioactive iodine.

27. A key to effective interprofessional disaster response is:

• a. Each profession working independently.
• b. Clear communication and a shared understanding of each other’s roles and capabilities.
• c. A strict hierarchy with one profession in charge of all others.
• d. Waiting for orders before taking any action.

Answer: b. Clear communication and a shared understanding of each other’s roles and capabilities.

28. After a disaster, there is often an increased need for what type of vaccination?

• a. HPV
• b. Tetanus
• c. Yellow fever
• d. Shingles

Answer: b. Tetanus

29. The pharmacist’s most accessible position in the community makes them a vital part of any emergency response plan.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

30. A key part of the response phase is:

• a. Mitigation
• b. Preparedness
• c. Damage assessment
• d. Recovery planning

Answer: c. Damage assessment

31. In a mass dispensing scenario (POD), a pharmacist’s role may shift from individual patient counseling to:

• a. Rapid screening and providing essential information to large groups of people.
• b. Compounding individual prescriptions.
• c. Performing detailed medication reconciliation on every person.
• d. There is no shift in role.

Answer: a. Rapid screening and providing essential information to large groups of people.

32. What is a major ethical challenge during a disaster response?

• a. Deciding who to help first with limited resources (triage).
• b. Ensuring patient confidentiality in a chaotic environment.
• c. Balancing professional duties with personal and family safety.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

33. The main goal of “search and rescue” operations is part of which phase?

• a. Mitigation
• b. Preparedness
• c. Response
• d. Recovery

Answer: c. Response

34. A pharmacy’s continuity of operations plan (COOP) is part of:

• a. The response phase.
• b. The preparedness phase.
• c. The recovery phase.
• d. The mitigation phase.

Answer: b. The preparedness phase.

35. A pharmacist asked to volunteer in a disaster should first:

• a. Go directly to the disaster site.
• b. Ensure they are affiliated with a recognized response organization (like MRC) and wait to be deployed.
• c. Post on social media that they are available.
• d. Start collecting donations.

Answer: b. Ensure they are affiliated with a recognized response organization (like MRC) and wait to be deployed.

36. During an emergency response, documentation of actions taken is:

• a. Not important.
• b. Important, but secondary to life-saving actions.
• c. The most important initial action.
• d. Only for billing purposes.

Answer: b. Important, but secondary to life-saving actions.

37. What is a key consideration for managing controlled substances in an emergency shelter?

• a. They can be dispensed without a prescription.
• b. Maintaining security and proper documentation is critical.
• c. They should be stored with all other medications.
• d. All patients should receive them.

Answer: b. Maintaining security and proper documentation is critical.

38. The immediate response to a bioterrorism event would likely be managed by:

• a. The hospital pharmacy alone.
• b. Public health departments in collaboration with law enforcement and healthcare systems.
• c. The CDC alone.
• d. The WHO.

Answer: b. Public health departments in collaboration with law enforcement and healthcare systems.

39. A pharmacist providing first aid at the scene of an accident is protected by:

• a. Their malpractice insurance only.
• b. Good Samaritan laws in most jurisdictions.
• c. A federal mandate.
• d. Nothing; they are fully liable.

Answer: b. Good Samaritan laws in most jurisdictions.

40. A key component of responding to a pandemic is:

• a. Rapid development and distribution of diagnostics.
• b. Rapid development and distribution of vaccines.
• c. Clear public health communication.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

41. The immediate psychological impact on victims of a disaster is often:

• a. Relief
• b. Anger
• c. Shock and disbelief
• d. Happiness

Answer: c. Shock and disbelief

42. A “reverse distributor” is a company that a pharmacy might work with during the ____ phase to handle damaged or expired stock.

• a. preparedness
• b. response
• c. recovery
• d. mitigation

Answer: c. recovery

43. A pharmacist’s response during a disaster should be guided by:

• a. Their own judgment only.
• b. Their pharmacy’s emergency plan and directives from public health officials.
• c. What they see on the news.
• d. Instructions from patients.

Answer: b. Their pharmacy’s emergency plan and directives from public health officials.

44. If a pharmacy’s primary wholesaler cannot deliver after a disaster, this represents a failure in:

• a. The supply chain.
• b. The prescribing process.
• c. The dispensing process.
• d. The administration process.

Answer: a. The supply chain.

45. During a disaster, medication errors can increase due to:

• a. Stress and fatigue.
• b. Unfamiliar medications or volunteers.
• c. Chaotic environments.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

46. A critical role for pharmacists in the immediate aftermath is helping patients create a usable, accurate medication list if their original medications were lost.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

47. A core part of any disaster response is establishing a functional:

• a. Hierarchy and chain of command.
• b. Communication system.
• c. Triage system.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

48. In a response scenario with limited resources, a pharmacist may need to help providers choose therapies based on:

• a. What is available in the emergency caches.
• b. The patient’s ability to pay.
• c. The brand name of the drug.
• d. The most expensive option.

Answer: a. What is available in the emergency caches.

49. The overall goal of the emergency response phase is to:

• a. Return everything to normal immediately.
• b. Stabilize the situation and provide for the immediate needs of the population.
• c. Plan for the next disaster.
• d. Write a detailed report.

Answer: b. Stabilize the situation and provide for the immediate needs of the population.

50. The ultimate reason to learn about emergency and disaster response is to:

• a. Be prepared to effectively serve and protect the community’s public health in a time of crisis.
• b. Pass a certification exam.
• c. Know how to operate a shortwave radio.
• d. Be able to manage a large-scale incident command post.

Answer: a. Be prepared to effectively serve and protect the community’s public health in a time of crisis.