Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse Practice Exam

In the event of a fire, what is the nurse's first priority?

1. Extinguish the fire if possible.

2. Activate the fire response system.

3. Confine the fire by closing all fire doors.

4. Remove patients or staff in danger.

The correct answer is: Remove patients or staff in danger.

In the event of a fire, the first priority for a nurse is to ensure the safety of individuals in the environment, including patients and staff members. This aligns with the emergency response procedures known as RACE (Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish). The immediate and critical action is to rescue anyone who is in danger, especially those who may have limited mobility or are unable to evacuate without assistance. Focusing on the safety of people first prevents harm and saves lives. Once individuals are safe or in a secure position, the nurse can then proceed to activate the fire response system and take subsequent actions such as containing the fire, if safe to do so. The other options are important steps in managing a fire emergency, but they come after ensuring that all individuals are removed from danger.