A group of ambulatory clients arrives at the emergency department walk-in entrance reporting exposure to an unknown liquid chemical from an overturned transport vehicle. Arrange the following actions the triage nurse should take in the correct chronological order.
- 1Don facility-approved personal protective equipment.
- 2Instruct the clients to remain outside the emergency department entrance.
- 3Direct the clients to the external decontamination area to remove their clothing.
- 4Assist with flushing the clients' skin using copious amounts of water.
- 5Provide clean gowns and transfer the clients to the designated triage zone.
Answer
The nurse must first put on personal protective equipment, then keep the clients outside the facility, direct them to remove clothing in the decontamination area, flush their skin with water, and finally provide clean clothes and transfer them for medical triage.
In a hazardous materials (hazmat) incident, the sequential priority is to protect the staff, protect the facility, decontaminate the clients, and then provide medical treatment. The nurse must first don personal protective equipment to ensure personal safety. Next, the nurse must prevent the contaminated clients from entering the hospital building to avoid secondary contamination of the internal environment. The clients are then directed to an external decontamination area where they remove their clothing (which removes most of the contaminant) and are washed with copious amounts of water. Only after complete decontamination are they given clean gowns and brought into the facility for medical triage.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) Decontamination Sequence
Estimated Time:1m 30s