Question

A medical assistant is caring for a patient who has come in contact with concrete debris. Upon inspection of the eye, the assistant sees debris on the surface of the sclera. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

A) Rinse the eye with sterile saline solution
B) Remove the debris with a cotton swab
C) Apply an antibiotic ointment to the eye
D) Cover the eye with a patch

Answer 1

A) Rinse the eye with sterile saline solutionThe medical assistant should rinse the patient's eye with sterile saline solution to remove concrete debris safely without causing further damage.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a medical assistant is caring for a patient who has come into contact with concrete debris in the eye, the assistant should take the following action: Rinse the eye with sterile saline solution. This is the safest method to remove foreign substances from the eye without causing additional damage. Using a cotton swab to remove debris could scratch the eye and applying antibiotic ointment before debris removal could cause further irritation. Covering the eye with a patch should only be done after proper cleaning and if necessary, under the advice of a healthcare practitioner.

The medical assistant should rins the eye with sterile saline solution to remove the debris on the surface of the sclera. Sterile saline solution is a safe and effective way to flush out foreign objects from the eye without causing further damage. It is important to avoid using a cotton swab or any other object to remove the debris, as this can potentially cause more harm to the eye.