Start practicing

Medical Emergencies · single question

Right after local anesthetic is administered, tornado warning sirens go off outside. The dental assistant mentions this happens often and there's no real danger. What should the dentist do?

  1. Immediately seek shelter with the patient and staff, regardless of how often false alarms have occurred in the past
  2. Listen to the dental assistant and disregard the siren
  3. Ask the patient whether they want to continue or stop treatment
  4. Continue treatment as planned since the patient is already anesthetized
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. Immediately seek shelter with the patient and staff, regardless of how often false alarms have occurred in the past

Official emergency warning sirens should never be disregarded based on past experience with false alarms — patient and staff safety takes clear priority over completing a procedure or convenience. The appropriate action is to immediately seek appropriate shelter with everyone present, rather than relying on an assumption (even a well-intentioned one from staff) that the warning doesn't apply this time.

Practice Medical Emergencies questions Medical Emergencies study notes

More Medical Emergencies practice questions