A client presents with a temperature of 100°F (37.8°C) and reports difficulty breathing. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

Obtain arterial blood gases

Suction to clear secretions from airway

Offer a prescribed PRN analgesia

Administer a prescribed antipyretic

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Choice A reason: Arterial blood gases assess oxygenation and acid-base balance, critical for diagnosing respiratory distress severity. However, this diagnostic measure does not immediately relieve airway obstruction. Clearing secretions is prioritized to restore ventilation, as hypoxia can rapidly cause tissue damage or cardiac arrest in acute respiratory distress.

Choice B reason: Suctioning removes airway secretions, directly addressing breathing difficulty. Secretions obstruct airways, reducing oxygen delivery to alveoli and impairing gas exchange. Immediate suctioning restores patency, enhances ventilation, and prevents hypoxia, making it the priority intervention to stabilize the client’s respiratory function in acute distress.

Choice C reason: PRN analgesia addresses pain, which is not indicated as the primary issue. Pain relief does not resolve airway obstruction or improve breathing. Administering analgesia prematurely could mask respiratory symptoms, delaying critical airway management and potentially worsening hypoxia by neglecting the underlying obstruction.

Choice D reason: An antipyretic reduces fever, improving comfort but not addressing breathing difficulty. Fever is secondary, and treating it does not restore airway patency or oxygenation. Airway management is prioritized in respiratory distress to prevent hypoxia and ensure effective gas exchange before managing fever symptoms.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Administering an antacid relieves epigastric pain but is premature without assessing pain characteristics. Pain in peptic ulcer disease may indicate complications like perforation, requiring urgent evaluation. Assessment guides whether antacids or other interventions are appropriate, prioritizing patient safety.

Choice B reason: Assessing pain characteristics (e.g., location, intensity, radiation) is the first step, as epigastric pain in peptic ulcer disease may signal complications like bleeding or perforation. This data guides interventions, ensuring timely management of potentially life-threatening conditions, making it the priority action.

Choice C reason: Checking NSAID use identifies ulcer triggers but is secondary to pain assessment. Pain characteristics determine urgency, as severe or radiating pain may indicate perforation, requiring immediate action. Assessment provides critical data before investigating contributing factors like medication history.

Choice D reason: Obtaining a stool sample for occult blood detects gastrointestinal bleeding but is not the first step. Assessing pain characteristics identifies urgent complications like perforation, guiding whether diagnostic tests or interventions are needed, making pain assessment the initial priority.

A. Replace the gauze with a transparent dressing B. Apply a hydrocolloid gel dressing C. Leave the dressing off until consulting with the healthcare provider D. Increase the frequency of the dressing changes

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Transparent dressings are semi-permeable, suitable for superficial wounds with minimal exudate. Stage 3 pressure injuries, with deeper tissue damage and granulation, require moisture-retentive dressings to support healing. Transparent dressings may not provide the moist environment needed for optimal granulation tissue formation and epithelialization in deeper wounds.

Choice B reason: Hydrocolloid gel dressings maintain a moist wound environment, ideal for stage 3 pressure injuries with granulation tissue. They promote autolytic debridement, support epithelialization, and protect the wound. This is the best choice, as gauze may adhere to granulation tissue, causing trauma during removal, unlike hydrocolloids, which foster healing.

Choice C reason: Leaving the dressing off exposes the wound to infection and drying, which impairs granulation tissue and delays healing. Stage 3 pressure injuries require a moist, protected environment. Consulting the provider may be appropriate for complex cases, but immediate dressing application is standard to maintain optimal wound conditions.

Choice D reason: Increasing dressing change frequency may disrupt granulation tissue and delay healing, especially with gauze, which can adhere to the wound bed. Stage 3 pressure injuries benefit from stable, moist environments provided by advanced dressings like hydrocolloids, not frequent changes that risk trauma and infection.

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A client presents with a temperature of 100°F (37.8°C) and reports difficulty breathing. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A client with a history of peptic ulcer disease reports epigastric pain. Which action should the nurse take first?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

The nurse is performing a routine dressing change for a client with a stage 3 pressure injury that is red with significant granulation. The wound has a gauze dressing covering the area. Which action should the nurse implement?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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