Contemporary Ethical Issues in Nursing Related

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A nurse at a school notices that several students have "blisters" on their bodies. Further investigation reveals that a terrorist incident has occurred, causing smallpox. If the chemical, biologic, radiologic, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) agent categories are used, this incident would be classified as:

  • A. chemical.
  • B. biologic.
  • C. radiologic.
  • D. nuclear.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: biologic. Smallpox is a viral disease caused by the variola virus, making it a biological agent. The virus spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets or contact with infected bodily fluids. The term CBRNE encompasses various types of agents used in terrorism incidents. In this case, the incident involving smallpox falls under the biologic category due to its viral nature, as opposed to chemical (A), radiologic (C), or nuclear (D) agents. Chemical agents involve toxic substances, radiologic agents involve radiation, and nuclear agents involve nuclear materials. In summary, the smallpox incident is categorized as biologic due to the nature of the variola virus.