A patient is brought to the emergency department with gunshot wounds to the abdomen and lower extremities. To protect the chain of evidence for these injuries, what should the nurse do?
1. Remove the patient's clothing and place in a breathable bag.
2. Cover the patient's hands with plastic bags.
3. Cut off the patient's clothing and bathe the skin and wounds as soon as possible.
4. Place clothing and other patient items on a bedside table and have a nursing assistant remove them when possible.
Correct Answer: 1
Each item of clothing removed from the patient must be placed in a breathable container, such as a paper bag, and documented appropriately. The clothing should not be cut off in order to bathe the patient's skin and wounds. The patient's clothing and personal items should not be left on a bedside table for someone else to remove. This would not protect the chain of evidence. The patient's hands should be covered with paper bags only if the patient died.
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