[Verified Answer]: A 30-year-old construction worker presents…

A 30-year-old construction worker presents with a 4 cm laceration on his lower leg after scraping against a metal edge. The wound occurred 3 hours ago, and is visibly dirty with embedded gravel. Which of the following is the most important step to minimize the risk of post-closure infection X-ray the wound to confirm there are no retained foreign bodies Prescribe doxycycline 100 mg PO BID x 7 days for MRSA coverage Prescribe oral cephalexin 500 mg QID x 7 days to cover skin flora Copious wound irrigation