A home health nurse is visiting a client who has COPD and is receiving oxygen at 2 L/min via nasal cannula.
The client tells the nurse she has been having difficulty breathing.
Which of the following actions is the nurse's priority at this time?
Have the client cough and expectorate secretions.
Instruct the client to use a pursed-lip breathing technique.
Increase the oxygen flow to 3 L/min.
Evaluate the client's respiratory status.
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A rationale:
Having the client cough and expectorate secretions is a reasonable intervention for managing respiratory distress, but it is not the top priority. The nurse should first assess the client's overall respiratory status to determine the severity of the problem.
Choice B rationale:
Instructing the client to use a pursed-lip breathing technique is a helpful strategy to improve breathing in some cases. However, it should not be the top priority when a client is experiencing difficulty breathing. Assessment should come first.
Choice C rationale:
Increasing the oxygen flow to 3 L/min without a proper assessment is not advisable. It's essential to evaluate the client's respiratory status before making any adjustments to the oxygen therapy.
Choice D rationale:
"Evaluate the client's respiratory status" is the correct response. When a client with COPD and oxygen therapy reports difficulty breathing, the nurse's priority is to assess the client's respiratory status. This assessment will help determine the cause of the breathing difficulty and guide appropriate interventions. The nurse should also check the oxygen saturation levels, respiratory rate, and auscultate lung sounds to assess the severity of the issue.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["B","C","E"]
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Albuterol primarily acts as a bronchodilator by opening up the airways. It does not have a significant anti-inflammatory effect. Inhaled corticosteroids are more commonly used to reduce airway inflammation in asthma.
Choice B rationale:
Albuterol, a beta-2 agonist, helps with breathing by relaxing the smooth muscles in the airways, which opens them up. This action allows for improved airflow and ease of breathing. Therefore, this choice is correct.
Choice C rationale:
Albuterol is used to relieve bronchospasm, which can prevent wheezing in individuals with asthma. It does not have a direct effect on reducing mucus production or coughing.
Choice D rationale:
Albuterol does not increase the amount of mucus production. In fact, it can help reduce coughing by relieving bronchospasm, but it does not directly suppress coughing episodes.
Choice E rationale:
Albuterol can help reduce coughing episodes by improving airflow and reducing the irritation that leads to coughing.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Restricting visitation is an essential intervention during an influenza outbreak in a long-term care facility. Influenza is highly contagious and can spread rapidly among residents and staff in a close environment like a long-term care facility. By limiting visitation, the facility can reduce the risk of introducing the virus from the outside and help contain the outbreak. This is a preventive measure to protect vulnerable residents from exposure to the virus.
Choice B rationale:
Providing prophylactic antibiotics for clients who have been exposed to influenza is not a recommended intervention. Influenza is caused by a virus, not bacteria, so antibiotics are ineffective in preventing or treating the infection. Antibiotics should only be used to treat bacterial infections, not viral ones. Inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance and other adverse effects.
Choice C rationale:
Implementing airborne precautions for clients who have influenza is not typically necessary. Influenza primarily spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Standard precautions, such as proper hand hygiene and wearing masks when in close contact with infected individuals, are usually sufficient to prevent the spread of the virus. Airborne precautions are typically reserved for diseases that are transmitted through the airborne route, like tuberculosis.
Choice D rationale:
Assigning healthcare personnel to nondirect care activities for 24 hours after developing influenza symptoms is not a recommended intervention. While it's important for healthcare personnel to stay home when they are sick to prevent the spread of the virus, 24 hours may not be a necessary duration. The standard guideline for healthcare workers with influenza is to stay home until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
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