A nurse evaluates a client's arterial blood gas values (ABGs): pH 7.1, PaCO2 70 mm Hg, and HCO3 22 mEq/L. Which intervention does the nurse implement first?
Assess the airway.
Administer prescribed bronchodilators.
Administer prescribed mucolytics.
Provide oxygen.
The Correct Answer is A
A. Assessing the airway is always a priority in any client care situation, especially when there are respiratory abnormalities such as respiratory acidosis. Ensuring a patent airway is crucial to maintain adequate oxygenation and ventilation.
B. Bronchodilators are typically used to treat conditions such as bronchoconstriction in asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, in the context of respiratory acidosis with an elevated PaCO2, the primary issue is not bronchoconstriction but rather impaired gas exchange due to inadequate ventilation.
C. Mucolytics are medications used to thin mucus and facilitate its removal from the respiratory tract. While they can be beneficial in conditions with thick secretions, they do not address the underlying cause of respiratory acidosis, which is inadequate CO2 elimination.
D. Providing oxygen can help improve oxygenation in clients with respiratory acidosis. However, it is important to note that oxygen alone will not correct the underlying cause of respiratory acidosis (elevated PaCO2). Oxygen therapy is supportive and helps to improve oxygen delivery to tissues while other interventions are addressed.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["28"]
Explanation
(Volume in mL * Drop Factor) / Time in minutes.
Volume is 1,000 mL, the drop factor is 10 gtt/mL, and the time is 6 hours.
First, convert the hours into minutes (6 hours * 60 minutes/hour = 360 minutes). Then, multiply the volume by the drop factor (1,000 mL * 10 gtt/mL = 10,000 gtt).
Finally, divide this number by the total time in minutes (10,000 gtt / 360 minutes ≈ 27.78
gtt/min).
Rounding to the nearest whole number, the nurse should set the manual IV infusion to deliver 28 gtt/min.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Troponin is a protein found in cardiac muscle cells. When there is damage to the heart muscle, such as during a myocardial infarction (heart attack), troponin is released into the bloodstream. Therefore, elevated troponin levels in the blood indicate myocardial injury or damage.
B. Troponin is not an enzyme; it is a protein. While there are enzymes such as creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) that can indicate damage to various tissues including heart and skeletal muscles, troponin specifically indicates cardiac muscle damage.
C. Troponin is not involved in oxygen transport. Hemoglobin, found in red blood cells, is the protein responsible for oxygen transport in the body.
D. Troponin is not a lipid; it is a protein. Lipids include substances like cholesterol and triglycerides. Troponin levels do not reflect the risk for coronary artery disease; rather, they indicate acute damage to the heart muscle.
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