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.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

The SBAR is used to organize and standardize communication between members of the health care team about a patient’s condition. It is an acronym for Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation.

Choice B is wrong because the SBAR is not used to help Physical Therapy determine the client’s abilities.

Physical Therapy may use other tools or methods to assess the client’s functional status.

Choice C is wrong because the SBAR is not used to help physicians with diagnoses.

The SBAR is a communication tool, not a diagnostic tool.

Physicians may use other sources of information or tests to make diagnoses.

Choice D is wrong because the SBAR is not used to educate clients about their disease processes.

The SBAR is a tool for interprofessional communication, not for patient education.

Clients may receive education from other sources or materials.

A. A client who has a family history of breast cancer is scheduled for a mammogram. B. A client who has heart failure is scheduled for an echocardiogram. C. A client who is asymptomatic is not scheduled for a series of tests. D. A client is scheduled to receive an influenza vaccination.

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

This is an example of secondary prevention, which is the action taken to stop the progress of the disease at the initial stage and prevent complications. An echocardiogram can help diagnose the severity and cause of heart failure and guide the treatment plan.

A client who has a family history of breast cancer and is scheduled for a mammogram is an example of secondary prevention. Secondary prevention is early detection of a disease before it progresses. Secondary prevention can include screenings and other forms of diagnostic tests.

This is an example of tertiary prevention, which is the action taken to stop the progress of the disease at the initial stage and prevent complication. An echocardiogram can help diagnose the severity and cause of heart failure and guide the treatment plan.

Choice C is wrong because it is not an example of any level of prevention.

A client who is asymptomatic is not scheduled for a series of tests because there is no indication of any disease or risk factor.

Choice D is wrong because it is an example of primary prevention, which is the action taken to prevent the development of disease.

A client who is scheduled to receive an influenza vaccination is protected from getting infected by the virus and developing flu-related complications.

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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?

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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?