The nurse is driving home after work when he is flagged down by a neighbor in the country who says her husband was exposed to mustard gas
The victim's skin is red and swollen with small blisters, and his eyes are red and tearing. The victim has a runny nose and a dry, barking cough. What should the nurse's initial action be?
a. Have the patient remove his clothes and bathe with soap and water three times.
b. Rush the patient to the emergency department (ED).
c. Ask the wife if anyone in the house is on oxygen.
d. Ask the wife for eye drops and petroleum jelly to prevent the eyes from burning.
ANS: A
Initial management is rapid decontamination, supportive care, and drug therapy. People exposed to sulfur mustard should undress immediately and wash three times with soap and water.
Rushing the patient to the ED should not be the initial action and may make matters worse, because it prolongs the patient's exposure and exposes all those in the confined vehicle.
Asking the wife for oxygen may be a good idea, but not initially, because the patient does not show any signs of respiratory distress.
Eye drops and petroleum jelly would not be the primary considerations.
You might also like to view...
What is the fastest-growing group in the U.S. population today?
a. 30- to 40-year-olds b. 40- to 50-year-olds c. 50- to 65-year-olds d. Those 85 and older
In developing a care plan for a patient with an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of an open, displaced fracture of the tibia, the priority nursing diagnosis is
a. risk for constipation related to prolonged bed rest. b. activity intolerance related to deconditioning. c. risk for infection related to disruption of skin integrity. d. risk for impaired skin integrity related to immobility.
The nurse is caring for a client with suspected pericarditis. Which signs and symptoms support this? Select all that apply.
A. Squeezing, vise-like chest pain B. Chest pain relieved by sitting upright C. Chest and abdominal pain relieved by antacids D. Sudden-onset chest pain relieved by NSAIDs E. Pain in the chest described as sharp or stabbing
The client is to receive three different medications via the nasogastric tube. The nurse prepares to administer a total of at least:
A. 5 ml of water B. 15 ml of water C. 30 ml of water D. 80 ml of water