Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) Practice Test

What happens if there is a switching failure at a 011 tandem office?

1. Responses are routed

2. 911 calls are disconnected

3. Data stream is interrupted

4. All 911 calls routing through the affected tandem are default routed

The correct answer is: All 911 calls routing through the affected tandem are default routed

When there is a switching failure at a tandem office, it can significantly impact emergency call routing. In this scenario, option D correctly describes the consequence of such a failure. When the tandem office experiences issues, it cannot process calls normally, particularly emergency calls, which need to be prioritized and routed to the appropriate emergency services. Default routing is a contingency measure implemented in telecommunications systems to ensure that emergency calls can still reach their intended destination even when the usual routing paths are disrupted. This means that all 911 calls that are typically processed through the affected tandem office will be automatically rerouted to a backup system or another designated location that can handle emergency calls. This redundancy is critical for maintaining public safety and ensuring that individuals in need of emergency assistance can still effectively reach 911 services despite technical failures. Other options, while related to call handling, do not accurately represent the systematic response to switching failures in a tandem office context. For example, routing of responses and potential interruptions in data streams are aspects that are less focused on the immediate handling of emergency calls.