The community health nurse works in a receiving station after a radiological disaster. The nurse wears the requisite PPE and notes that the majority of the victims have blast injuries

Question

A volunteer worker reports that many of the victims have dust on their clothes. The nurse's response to the dust is to:
A) Recognize that the dust is common with blast injuries
B) Consider it radioactively contaminated and notify HAZMAT
C) Consider the dust a biological agent and therefore a contaminant
D) Flush all wounds to prevent chemical contamination

Answer 1

Ans: B
Feedback:
Community-based nurses are not called to the actual location of a radiological disaster. However, nurses working in a receiving station may observe dust on arriving victims. It must be assumed that dust on victims is radioactive (not a biological agent). PPE should be worn, and HAZMAT should be notified. People should remove their clothing and be referred for decontamination. Open wounds should be cleaned and covered, not flushed.