What are the basic steps for patient decontamination on arrival at a medical facility?

• A. Remove outer clothing, rinse skin with water, wash with soap and water, avoid scrubbing, and place patient in isolation with appropriate precautions
• B. Wash only with alcohol-based sanitizer
• C. Internal decontamination
• D. Decontaminate after tests

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is to rapidly reduce a patient’s contamination load as they arrive, protecting both the patient and healthcare workers. The safest sequence starts with removing outer clothing, which removes a large portion of any surface contamination right away. Next, a rinse with water helps wash away soluble contaminants from the skin. Following that, washing with soap and water further helps remove residues that water alone might not fully eliminate, including oils and particulates that cling to skin. Do not scrub the skin hard; friction can irritate or damage the skin and may spread contaminants or push them deeper or into the environment. After these measures, the patient should be placed in isolation with appropriate precautions to prevent exposure to others and to allow decontamination to continue safely.

Washing with alcohol-based sanitizer isn’t sufficient for most contaminants and won’t reliably remove all residues. Internal decontamination isn’t applicable as a first-step measure on arrival. Decontaminating after tests would delay essential protection and increase the risk of spreading contamination.