A home health nurse visits a client who has COPD and receives oxygen at 2 L/min via nasal cannula. The client reports difficulty breathing.
Which of the following actions is the nurse’s priority?

Call emergency services for the client.

Increase the oxygen flow to 3 L/min.

Have the client cough and expectorate secretions.

Assess the client’s respiratory status.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

This is the nurse’s priority because it will help determine the severity of the client’s difficulty breathing and guide the appropriate interventions. According to the Mayo Clinic, oxygen therapy for COPD is indicated when there is not enough oxygen in the blood, which can be measured by a pulse oximeter or a blood gas test. Increasing the oxygen flow without assessing the oxygen level could be harmful or ineffective. Having the client cough and expectorate secretions may help clear the airway, but it is not the first action to take. Calling emergency services may be necessary if the client’s condition is life threatening, but it should not be done before assessing the respiratory status.

Choice A is wrong because it does not address the immediate need of assessing the respiratory status and may cause unnecessary panic or delay in treatment.

Choice B is wrong because it does not follow the guidelines for oxygen therapy for COPD, which require a prescription and monitoring of oxygen levels.

Increasing the oxygen flow without assessing the oxygen level could cause oxygen toxicity or suppress the respiratory drive.

Choice C is wrong because it is not the most urgent action to take.

Having the client cough and expectorate secretions may help clear the airway, but it may also increase the work of breathing and worsen hypoxia.

Assessing the respiratory status should come first.

Normal ranges for oxygen saturation are 95% to 100% for healthy individuals and 88% to 92% for most people with COPD. Normal ranges for blood gas tests vary depending on the laboratory, but generally, normal values for arterial blood gas are: pH 7.35 to 7.45, PaCO2 35 to 45 mm Hg, PaO2 80 to 100 mm Hg, HCO3 22 to 26 mEq/L.

Nursing Test Bank

Quiz #1: RN Exams Pharmacology Exams Quiz #2: RN Exams Medical-Surgical Exams Quiz #3: RN Exams Fundamentals Exams Quiz #4: RN Exams Maternal-Newborn Exams Quiz #5: RN Exams Anatomy and Physiology Exams Quiz #6: RN Exams Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Quiz #7: RN Exams Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Quiz #8: RN Exams Community Health Exams Quiz #9: RN Exams Promoting Health across the lifespan Exams Quiz #10: RN Exams Multidimensional care Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Quiz #1: Naxlex RN Comprehensive online practice 2019 B with NGN Quiz #2: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Quiz #3: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Exit Exam A Quiz #4: Naxlex HESI Exit LPN Exam Quiz #5: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor PN 2020 Quiz #6: Naxlex VATI PN Comprehensive Predictor 2020 Quiz #8: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 - Exam 1 Quiz #10: Naxlex HESI PN Exit exam Quiz #11: Naxlex HESI PN EXIT Exam 2

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

his intervention can help prevent pressure ulcers by reducing the amount of pressure on bony prominences and promoting blood circulation to the skin.

Choice A is wrong because placing the patient in a side-lying position only can increase the risk of skin breakdown by limiting the patient’s mobility and exposing the same areas to pressure. The patient should be repositioned frequently and encouraged to change positions if able.

Choice B is wrong because massaging bony prominences can cause tissue damage and increase the risk of skin breakdown by impairing blood flow to the area. Massaging should be avoided over bony prominences and areas of redness.

Choice D is wrong because keeping the head of the bed elevated higher than 30 degrees can cause shearing forces on the skin, which can lead to skin breakdown. The head of the bed should be kept at the lowest degree of elevation possible.

Choice E is wrong because inspecting skin every shift is not enough for a patient at risk for impaired skin integrity. The skin should be inspected at least every 2 hours or more frequently depending on the patient’s condition. Early detection of skin changes can help prevent further damage and promote healing.

Normal ranges for skin integrity are:

• Skin color: consistent with ethnicity and genetic background, no pallor, cyanosis, or jaundice.

• Skin moisture: dry to touch, no excessive perspiration or dryness. • Skin texture: smooth, soft, intact, with even surface.

• Skin temperature: warm to touch, no hyperthermia or hypothermia. • Skin turgor: elastic, returns to original shape after being pinched. • Skin integrity: no lesions, wounds, abrasions, or ulcers.

A. 3+ palpable pedal pulses below the affected injury site. B. Full range of motion at the site of injury. C. Sanguineous drainage at the site of injury. D. Localized warmth at the site of injury.

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Localized warmth at the site of injury is a sign of localized inflammation of the tissues, which is a response to tissue damage caused by an ankle injury. Localized inflammation involves changes in blood flow, vessel permeability, and leukocyte migration to the site of injury. Heat is one of the five classic signs of acute local inflammation, along with redness, swelling, pain, and loss of function.

Choice A is wrong because 3+ palpable pedal pulses below the affected injury site indicate normal blood flow to the foot and do not reflect inflammation.

Choice B is wrong because full range of motion at the site of injury is unlikely in the presence of inflammation, which usually causes pain and loss of function.

Choice C is wrong because sanguineous drainage at the site of injury is a sign of bleeding, not inflammation.

Inflammation may cause fluid leakage from blood vessels, but this fluid is usually clear or yellowish, not bloody.

View Question and Answer

Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.

Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today

A home health nurse visits a client who has COPD and receives oxygen at 2 L/min via nasal cannula. The client reports difficulty breathing. Which of the following actions is the nurse’s priority?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The RN identifies that a client is at risk for impaired skin integrity. Which interventions should the nurse add to this client’s plan of care?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A nurse is assessing a client who was brought to the emergency department with an ankle injury. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse identify as localized inflammation of the tissues?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A nurse is caring for a patient who has complaints of fatigue. If the fatigue is caused by lifestyle choices, what should the nurse recommend for fatigue prevention? (Select all that apply)

A nurse is cheering on participants in a marathon and one runner collapses nearby. He begins to vomit and complain of a throbbing headache. The nurse notes that he is not sweating, yet his skin is red and very hot to touch, and his pulse is 170 bpm and strong. The nurse knows that:

In individuals who have appendicitis, the pain will typically localize to McBurney’s point. Which quadrant of the abdomen is McBurney’s point found?

A client is hospitalized and is in police custody after being arrested for driving while intoxicated for the third time. The nurse assigned to the client lost her brother to a drunk driver two years prior. Which action on the part of the nurse aligns with the professional code of ethics for nurses?

A nurse is caring for a client with chronic fatigue syndrome. Which of the following criteria were used to assist in making this diagnosis? Select all that apply.

Which of the following nursing diagnoses would typically NOT be associated with anemia?

A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client who has a new diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?

A client sees his primary care physician for complaints of fatigue. Bloodwork shows the client is anemic. Upon physical assessment, what signs would the provider expect to see? (Select all that apply)

A home health nurse visits a client who has COPD and receives oxygen at 2 L/min via nasal cannula. The client reports difficulty breathing.
Which of the following actions is the nurse’s priority?