Cover any protruding viscera with a sterile dressing saturated in 0.9% sodium chloride solution to prevent drying
Obtain information on the patient’s history as possible. Ask the patient, accompanied family members, emergency personnel, or bystanders about the injury. Determine the events surrounding the injury. Inquire about the time the patient last ate, allergies, medication use, and any preexisting medical conditions
Draw blood specimens STAT!
Insert a gastric tube to allow for stomach decompression, aspiration prevention, and to minimize leakage of gastric contents (which can contaminate the abdominal cavity). This also serves to provide for access of gastric contents to test for blood
Unless urinary tract injury is suspected, initiate the insertion indwelling urinary catheter
Tetanus vaccine and antibiotics are administered prophylactically, as ordered (Blank-Reid, 2007)