When EMR Ava arrives on the scene to help a man in a busy bus station, she sees the patient lying on the ground. His muscles are twitching as if he has just had a seizure, and there is a puddle beneath him indicating that he has lost control of his bladder. Ava notes that, while the patient is conscious, his eyes are very watery, and his pupils are pinpoint. Ava suspects that this patient has been exposed to some type of nerve agent. She knows that she has a DuoDote Auto-Injector in her jump kit. What will Ava MOST likely do to help this patient?

Question

Ava will call a poison control center to ask about using activated charcoal.

Ava will use the DuoDote Auto-Injector up to three times to try to combat the chemical.

Ava will give the patient high-flow oxygen and place him in the recovery position.

Ava will administer an injection using the DuoDote Auto-Injector and then help the patient.

Answer 1

In this scenario, Ava suspects that the patient has been exposed to a nerve agent based on the symptoms observed: twitching muscles, incontinence, pinpoint pupils, and watery eyes. The DuoDote Auto-Injector contains atropine and pralidoxime, which are antidotes used for nerve agent exposure.

Given the urgency of the situation and her recognition of the signs of nerve agent poisoning, the most appropriate response for Ava would be:

Ava will administer an injection using the DuoDote Auto-Injector and then help the patient.

This action will address the life-threatening effects of the nerve agent toxicity, providing immediate treatment, while she continues to assess and manage the patient's condition.