A client calls the emergency department and tells the nurse that he had been cleaning a wooden area in the backyard and came directly into contact with poison ivy shrubs. The client tells the nurse that he cannot see anything on the skin and ask the nurse what to do. Which of the following is the appropriate nursing response?
A. "Apply calamine lotion immediately to the exposed skin areas."
B. "It is not necessary to do anything if you cannot see anything on your skin."
C. "Come to the emergency department."
D. "Take a shower immediately, lathering, and rinsing several times."
Correct Answer: D. “Take a shower immediately, lathering, and rinsing several times.”
When an individual comes in contact with a poison ivy plant, the sap from the plants forms an invisible film on the human skin. The client should be instructed to cleanse the area with alcohol and then shower immediately and to lather the skin several times and rinse each time in running water.
Option A: Calamine lotion is recommended for use if dermatitis occurs.
Option B: The sap that is released from a poison ivy triggers an allergic reaction when it comes into contact with the skin, resulting in an itchy rash that may appear within hours of exposure or up to several days later so it is important to observe and treat it immediately.
Option C: It is not yet necessary to be at the emergency unit at this time.
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