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Difficulty: MediumEmergency Response and Hazardous Materials

While working on a medical-surgical unit, a practical nurse (PN) hears a staff member call for help. The staff member has accidentally splashed an industrial-strength cleaning solvent into their own eyes. What is the priority action the PN should take?

  1. Assist the staff member to the nearest eyewash station to immediately flush the eyes with water.Answer
  2. B
    Locate the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to identify the specific chemical composition before initiating treatment.
  3. C
    Delegate the eye irrigation procedure to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) while notifying the charge nurse.
  4. D
    Don a sterile gown and sterile gloves before touching the affected staff member to prevent secondary contamination.

Answer

Assist the staff member to the nearest eyewash station to immediately flush the eyes with water.
In the event of a chemical splash to the eyes, the absolute highest priority is to immediately dilute and remove the chemical to prevent severe, irreversible tissue damage and vision loss. The eyes must be flushed with copious amounts of water or normal saline at an eyewash station immediately.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assess the immediate life and safety threat to the affected individual.
Identified that a chemical splash to the eyes represents an acute, time-sensitive emergency.
Chemicals can cause rapid, irreversible corneal damage if not diluted immediately.
2
Determine the highest priority intervention according to hazardous materials protocols.
Immediate continuous flushing of the eyes with water is prioritized over administrative tasks or delegation.
Flushing physically removes the hazardous material and halts the chemical burning process.

Key Concept

Prioritization in Chemical Exposure Emergencies
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Topics

Emergency Response and Hazardous Materials

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