Question

Case Study, Chapter 15, Disaster Situations Tom Jones, a 29- year-old male client, was working several miles away from a nuclear power plant when the emergency sirens alarmed, and the partial meltdown would follow. Small amounts of radioactive gases and radioactive iodine were released from the accident. The client hearing the sirens had driven away from the initial work site at which time the automobile wrecked into a telephone pole 10 miles away from the nuclear power plant. The client suffered a tension pneumothorax and received at the triage site a red category on the disaster tag. The emergency personnel at the scene of the accident had inserted a 16-gauge needle above the 3rd rib in the midelavicular area of the right side of his chest, which released the pressure building up in his chest thus stabilizing him enough to transport him to the hospital. He also had some minor lacerations on his head and face, which would require sutures. The LPN/LVN is helping at the hospital receiving center for the disaster victims. (Leaning Objective 4) a. What is the difference between external and internal radiation contamination that occurr with Mr. Jones? b. Describe the treatments the client will receive for the radiation contamination and the rationale

Answer 1

a)External radiation contamination refers to the exposure that occurs on the skin which are exposed.(hand, face )

Internal radiation refers to the exposure of the radiation that enters into the body through an open wound,laceration, skin breaks, inhalation, ingestion ( laceration on his face and head, inhalation leading to tension pneumothorax secondary due to the automobile wreck)

b) The following radiation contamination treatment to be followed

• Remove clothing and shoes because all the exposed radiation can be found on this
• A complete soap and water wash has to be done this will remove any additioadditional contamination on the skin
• Decontamination to remove all the nuclear radiation
• Potassium iodide to treat thyroid problem due to contamination
• Prussian blue,this binds to radioactive materials like cecium and thalium and it is excreted through the fences
• Diethylenetriamine pentacteicic acid binds to radioactive materials like plutonium ,americium, curecium and it is excreted via urine
• Administration of oxygen to meet oxygen demand due to tension pneumothorax
• wound dressings for laceration to prevent any infection
• Analgesic to relieve pain
• Antibiotic to treat further infection