NCLEX Blog / Infection Control, Safety & Risk Reduction / Fire, Electrical, and Radiation Safety in One Article
Fire, Electrical, and Radiation Safety in One Article

Fire, Electrical, and Radiation Safety in One Article

Written & reviewed by nurse educators·4 min read·Updated 2026-10-06
The short answer

In a fire, follow RACE in order, Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish, and rescue always comes first because people come before property; use an extinguisher with PASS, aiming at the base of the fire. Radiation safety rests on time, distance, and shielding, and clients receiving external radiation therapy are not radioactive and need no special precautions.

Fire Sharps and Environmental Safety NCLEX Review▶ Watch this lesson
Fire Sharps and Environmental Safety NCLEX Review

Fire, sharps and environmental safety: RACE, PASS, electrical and radiation safety in one lesson.

From the Intensive NCLEX Course. See the course; the full video library is part of Pro and Ultimate.

Fire safety

RACE — what to do, in order:

  • R — Rescue anyone in immediate danger
  • A — Alarm — pull the alarm and call
  • C — Confine — close doors and windows
  • E — Extinguish or evacuate

Rescue comes first. People before property, always. If a question asks the first action in a fire, moving clients in immediate danger is the answer.

PASS — how to use an extinguisher:

  • P — Pull the pin
  • A — Aim at the base of the fire
  • S — Squeeze the handle
  • S — Sweep side to side

Aim at the base, not the flames. Commonly tested.

Evacuation order: move ambulatory clients first, then those needing assistance, then those who cannot move, then bedbound clients. This gets the most people out fastest.

Move clients horizontally first — to the other side of fire doors on the same floor. Move down a floor only if needed. Do not use elevators.

Oxygen safety:

  • Turn off oxygen in a fire
  • No smoking, no open flames, no candles
  • No electric razors, heating pads, or anything that could spark near oxygen
  • No wool or synthetic fabrics that create static
  • Post “oxygen in use” signage

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Electrical safety

  • Check cords for fraying before use
  • Unplug by the plug, not the cord
  • Do not use extension cords or multi-plug adapters for medical equipment
  • Keep cords out of walkways
  • Remove damaged equipment from service and label it
  • Ground all equipment
  • Keep electrical items away from water
  • Report any tingling or shock immediately and remove the equipment

If a client is receiving a shock: turn off the power source first. Do not touch the client while they are in contact with the current.

Radiation safety

The three principles: time, distance, shielding.

  • Time — limit how long you are near the source
  • Distance — stand as far away as practical
  • Shielding — use lead aprons and barriers

For clients with internal radiation implants:

  • Private room
  • Limit each staff member’s time in the room
  • No pregnant staff or visitors. No children.
  • Keep long-handled forceps and a lead container in the room
  • If an implant becomes dislodged, pick it up with the forceps and place it in the container. Never touch it with your hands. Notify radiation safety.
  • Do not let visitors sit close for long periods
  • Wear a dosimeter badge

For external radiation therapy, the client is not radioactive and needs no special precautions. This distinction is commonly tested.

Other safety topics

Poison and hazardous materials: know where the safety data sheets are. For a chemical spill, contain it, follow the sheet, and report it.

Latex allergy: ask on admission. Clients with spina bifida and those with many surgeries are at higher risk. Also cross-reacts with banana, avocado, kiwi, and chestnut. Use a latex-free environment.

Security: infant abduction prevention — never hand a baby to someone without proper identification, teach parents to check identification, and report anyone acting suspiciously.

Disasters: know your facility’s plan and your role in it. See Article 50 for triage.

The short version

  • Fire: RACE — Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish. Rescue first.
  • Extinguisher: PASS — aim at the BASE
  • Evacuate ambulatory clients first. No elevators.
  • Turn off oxygen in a fire
  • Radiation: time, distance, shielding
  • Dislodged implant: forceps and lead container, never hands
  • External radiation clients are not radioactive

Safety protocols vary by facility. Follow your employer’s emergency plan.

Practice

5 NCLEX practice questions on this topic

The same questions, player and partial-credit scoring students use inside NCLEXPace: answer, submit, read the full rationale, then Next. Your score is waiting at the end. No account needed for these.

Question 1 of 5Score: 0%
Question 1 of 5Multiple Choice

Select the best answer.

A fire on an adjacent unit spreads, and the charge nurse orders horizontal evacuation of the medical unit. Four clients remain in the nurse's assignment. Which client should the nurse evacuate first?

Question 2 of 5Multiple Choice

Select the best answer.

A nurse is coordinating evacuation of a unit with multiple clients of varying mobility. Which client should be evacuated first?

Question 3 of 5Multiple Choice

After external pelvic radiation for cervical cancer, which client statement indicates a need for further teaching?

Question 4 of 5Multiple Choice

Select the best answer.

A 3-year-old with croup received nebulized racemic epinephrine for stridor at rest. Thirty minutes later the stridor has resolved and the child is sitting up playing with a toy. The parent asks to take the child home. Which response by the nurse is best?

Question 5 of 5Ordered Response

Place the RACE steps in the correct order for a nurse's initial response to a fire.

A nurse discovers a fire on the unit. Place the RACE steps in the order the nurse should perform them.

Click the items in the correct order. Click again to remove a pick.
·Activate the fire alarm
·Extinguish the fire if possible, or evacuate if not
·Rescue anyone in immediate danger from the fire
·Confine the fire by closing doors
0 answered · 0%
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Frequently asked questions

Common follow-up questions on Infection Control, Safety & Risk Reduction.

What is the first action in a fire?

Rescue anyone in immediate danger. RACE stands for Rescue, Alarm, Confine, and Extinguish, and rescue comes first because people come before property. If a question asks the first action in a fire, moving clients in immediate danger is the answer.

How do you use a fire extinguisher?

Follow PASS: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep side to side. Aiming at the base rather than the flames is commonly tested.

In what order are clients evacuated during a fire?

Move ambulatory clients first, then those needing assistance, then those who cannot move, then bedbound clients, which gets the most people out fastest. Move clients horizontally first, to the other side of fire doors on the same floor, and move down a floor only if needed. Do not use elevators.

What do you do if an internal radiation implant becomes dislodged?

Pick it up with the long-handled forceps kept in the room and place it in the lead container, never touching it with your hands, then notify radiation safety. Clients with internal implants need a private room, limited staff time, no pregnant staff or visitors and no children, and a dosimeter badge for the nurse. The three protective principles are time, distance, and shielding.

Are clients receiving radiation therapy radioactive?

It depends on the type. Clients with internal radiation implants require precautions, but clients receiving external radiation therapy are not radioactive and need no special precautions. This distinction is commonly tested.

Sources and references

  1. Potter PA, Perry AG, Stockert PA, Hall AM. Fundamentals of Nursing. 10th ed. Elsevier; 2021; Chapter: Patient Safety and Quality.

Reviewed by the NCLEXPace team, October 2026.

Keep reading

Infection Precautions: Airborne vs Droplet vs Contact8 min read
Medication Errors and Incident Reports: What to Do First4 min read
PPE: What to Put On, What to Take Off, and In What Order4 min read
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