The patient has been brought to the emergency department following a motor vehicle accident
The patient is unresponsive. His driver's license states that he needs glasses to operate a motor vehicle, but no glasses were brought in with the patient. The nurse should
a. Assume that the glasses were lost during the accident.
b. Stand to the side of the patient's eye and observe the cornea.
c. Assume that the patient was not wearing glasses while driving.
d. Assume that the ambulance personnel have them.
ANS: B
An important aspect of an eye examination is to determine if the patient wears contact lenses, especially in patients who are unresponsive. To determine whether a contact lens is present, stand to the side of the patient's eye and observe the cornea for the presence of a soft or rigid lens. It is also important to observe the sclera to detect the presence of a lens that has shifted off the cornea. An undetected lens causes severe corneal injury when left in place too long. Never assume that glasses were lost or were not worn. Contacting ambulance personnel takes time. Examine the eyes.
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