Which intervention should the nurse implement for clients exposed to liquid nerve agent sarin?

Which intervention should the nurse implement for clients exposed to liquid nerve agent sarin?

• A. Prepare to administer sodium nitrate intravenously.
• B. Wash the skin with copious amounts of soap and water.
• C. Instruct the clients not to burst any blister formation.
• D. Administer the antibiotic penicillin intravenously.

Answer: (B)

Immediate decontamination is the top priority after exposure to a liquid nerve agent like sarin. These agents rapidly penetrate skin, so removing contamination quickly minimizes absorption and protects others who may come into contact with the patient. Washing the skin with copious amounts of soap and water effectively removes the agent, especially when done promptly after exposure. Soap helps to emulsify and lift the agent from the skin, and a large volume of water washes it away, reducing the amount absorbed. Removing contaminated clothing should accompany this decontamination to prevent ongoing exposure, and it’s important to avoid inappropriate interventions: a drug like sodium nitrite treats cyanide poisoning, not nerve agents, and antibiotics such as penicillin have no role here. Guidance about blister care is secondary to decontamination and does not address the immediate need to remove the agent from the skin.

Immediate decontamination is the top priority after exposure to a liquid nerve agent like sarin. These agents rapidly penetrate skin, so removing contamination quickly minimizes absorption and protects others who may come into contact with the patient. Washing the skin with copious amounts of soap and water effectively removes the agent, especially when done promptly after exposure. Soap helps to emulsify and lift the agent from the skin, and a large volume of water washes it away, reducing the amount absorbed. Removing contaminated clothing should accompany this decontamination to prevent ongoing exposure, and it’s important to avoid inappropriate interventions: a drug like sodium nitrite treats cyanide poisoning, not nerve agents, and antibiotics such as penicillin have no role here. Guidance about blister care is secondary to decontamination and does not address the immediate need to remove the agent from the skin.