Final answer:
In the event of a fire in the perioperative setting, the nurse's first responsibility is to ensure patient safety by removing any burning material from the patient before proceeding with other emergency protocols. (option 4)
Step-by-step explanation:
When a fire occurs in a perioperative setting, the nurse's first responsibility is to ensure patient safety. The appropriate initial action would be 4) Remove burning material from the patient. It is paramount to remove any source of fire from close proximity to the patient to prevent injury. Once the patient is safe, other measures such as turning off emergency shut-off valves, alerting the front desk, and using fire extinguishers can be executed as part of the fire response protocol.
The perioperative team, including surgeons, anesthesia professionals, and nurses, must collaboratively work to maintain patient safety, just as they would carefully coordinate during surgical procedures.
Knowledge of fire safety protocols is critical in a medical environment, especially when it involves operating rooms where open flames and electrical equipment could lead to fire hazards. Nurses are trained to be alert and to take immediate action to safeguard their patients as well as to coordinate effectively with the rest of the medical team during such emergencies.
Hence, the answer is option 4