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 A

Explanation

The Nurse Practice Act is a law that outlines the legal scope of practice for nursing in each state. It defines the roles, functions, responsibilities and activities that a nurse is educated, competent and authorized to perform. The Nurse Practice Act also establishes the regulatory bodies that create and implement rules and regulations to protect the public.

Choice B. Nursing process is wrong because it is a systematic method of providing nursing care, not a legal document that defines the scope of practice.

Choice C. Code of Ethics is wrong because it is a set of principles that guide the moral and professional conduct of nurses, not a legal document that defines the scope of practice.

Choice D. Facility policies and procedures are wrong because they are specific guidelines for each healthcare organization, not a legal document that defines the scope of practice.

A. Decreased blood pressure. B. Bronchial airway constriction. C. Hypoglycemia. D. Dilated pupils.

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

This is because the fight-or-flight response activates the sympathetic nervous system, which causes the pupils to dilate to allow more light and improve vision.

Choice A is wrong because the fight-or-flight response increases blood pressure by constricting blood vessels and increasing heart rate.

Choice B is wrong because the fight-or-flight response causes bronchial airway dilation to allow more oxygen intake and facilitate breathing.

Choice C is wrong because the fight-or-flight response causes hyperglycemia by stimulating the release of glucose from the liver and muscles to provide energy.

Normal ranges for blood pressure are 90/60 mmHg to 120/80 mmHg, for blood glucose are 70 mg/dL to 100 mg/dL, and for pupil size are 2 mm to 6 mm.

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 nurse graduate is reviewing his scope of practice. Which of the following does he correctly identify as outlining the legal scope of practice for nursing?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A nurse is assisting with teaching a class about physical manifestations associated with the fight-or-flight response to stress. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse include?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

The RN learns that the father of a teenage client was killed in a car accident when he was a baby, and his mother has raised him on her own. How should the nurse interpret this family’s functionality?

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?

An elderly client is hospitalized for the first time. Which of the following actions ensures the safety of the client? (Select all that apply).

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)

The nurse is conducting an assessment on a client who is 36 hours postoperative following an appendectomy. During the assessment, the nurse is unable to hear any bowel sounds. The client denies passing flatus (gas). Given this information, which action is most appropriate by the nurse?

A nurse is utilizing the cognitive domain of learning to teach a patient about the prevention of inflammation. Which of the following is an appropriate goal for this patient?

A client is admitted with an exacerbation of COPD. He has a long history of chronic bronchitis. What physical finding does the nurse expect in a client with chronic bronchitis?

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?