A man has been admitted to the hospital unit with a medical diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He is receiving supplemental oxygen at 2 L/min via a nasal cannula. Which positioning technique will best assist him with breathing?

Choice A reason: Capillary refill is not the nurse's priority assessment for this client, because it is not the most relevant and sensitive indicator of the client's condition. Capillary refill is a test that measures the time it takes for the color to return to the nail bed after applying pressure, which reflects the peripheral circulation and tissue perfusion. Capillary refill can be affected by factors such as temperature, hydration, or vasoconstriction. Capillary refill is not a specific or reliable sign of PCP, which is a type of pneumonia caused by a fungus that affects the lungs and respiratory system.

Choice B reason: Radial pulses are not the nurse's priority assessment for this client, because they are not the most relevant and sensitive indicator of the client's condition. Radial pulses are the beats that can be felt at the wrist, which reflect the heart rate and rhythm. Radial pulses can be affected by factors such as activity, emotion, or medication. Radial pulses are not a specific or reliable sign of PCP, which is a type of pneumonia caused by a fungus that affects the lungs and respiratory system.

Choice C reason: Lung sounds are the nurse's priority assessment for this client, because they are the most relevant and sensitive indicator of the client's condition. Lung sounds are the noises that can be heard with a stethoscope over the chest, which reflect the air movement and ventilation in the lungs and airways. Lung sounds can reveal the presence of abnormalities, such as crackles, wheezes, or diminished breath sounds, which indicate fluid, inflammation, or obstruction in the lungs or airways. Lung sounds are a specific and reliable sign of PCP, which is a type of pneumonia caused by a fungus that affects the lungs and respiratory system.

Choice D reason: Skin turgor is not the nurse's priority assessment for this client, because it is not the most relevant and sensitive indicator of the client's condition. Skin turgor is a test that measures the elasticity of the skin, which reflects the hydration and fluid status of the body. Skin turgor can be affected by factors such as age, weight loss, or edema. Skin turgor is not a specific or reliable sign of PCP, which is a type of pneumonia caused by a fungus that affects the lungs and respiratory system.

Choice A reason: Higherthannormal number of CD4+ Tcells and CD8+ Tcells are normal is not a laboratory value that most adults with human immunodeficiency virus will exhibit, because it does not reflect the effect of the virus on the immune system. CD4+ Tcells and CD8+ Tcells are types of white blood cells that play a key role in the immune response. CD4+ Tcells are helper cells that activate and coordinate other immune cells, while CD8+ Tcells are cytotoxic cells that kill infected or abnormal cells. Human immunodeficiency virus infects and destroys CD4+ Tcells, which impairs the immune function and increases the risk of opportunistic infections and cancers. CD8+ Tcells are not directly affected by the virus, but they may increase in number as a compensatory mechanism to fight the infection. Therefore, most adults with human immunodeficiency virus will have lowerthannormal number of CD4+ Tcells and higher than normal CD8+ Tcells.

Choice B reason: Lowerthannormal number of CD4+ Tcells and CD8+ Tcells are normal is not a laboratory value that most adults with human immunodeficiency virus will exhibit, because it does not reflect the effect of the virus on the immune system, as explained above. Lowerthannormal number of CD4+ Tcells and CD8+ Tcells are normal may indicate a condition that affects both types of Tcells, such as aplastic anemia, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunosuppressive drugs.

Choice C reason: Lowerthannormal number of CD4+ Tcells and higher than normal CD8+ Tcells is a laboratory value that most adults with human immunodeficiency virus will exhibit, because it reflects the effect of the virus on the immune system, as explained above. Lowerthannormal number of CD4+ Tcells and higher than normal CD8+ Tcells may indicate the progression of the infection and the severity of the immunodeficiency. The normal range of CD4+ Tcells is 500 to 1500 cells per microliter of blood, while the normal range of CD8+ Tcells is 150 to 1000 cells per microliter of blood.

Choice D reason: Higherthannormal number of CD4+ Tcells and CD8+ Tcells are low is not a laboratory value that most adults with human immunodeficiency virus will exhibit, because it does not reflect the effect of the virus on the immune system, as explained above. Higherthannormal number of CD4+ Tcells and CD8+ Tcells are low may indicate a condition that affects CD8+ Tcells, such as leukemia, lymphoma, or corticosteroid therapy.