A nurse is caring for a client at risk for atelectasis. Which independent nursing measure should the nurse prioritize to prevent atelectasis development?

• Respiratory Rate: LTB, Epiglottitis, Foreign Body Aspiration. An increased respiratory rate (tachypnea) is common in both conditions due to airway obstruction and respiratory distress. In epiglottitis, inflammation and swelling of the epiglottis severely restrict airflow, leading to tachypnea. Similarly, foreign body aspiration can cause partial obstruction, increasing respiratory effort and rate. Increased respiratory rate is a significant finding in LTB due to airway narrowing and respiratory distress. The body compensates for the partial airway obstruction by increasing ventilation. However, tachypnea in LTB is usually not as severe as in epiglottitis or foreign body aspiration, where airway obstruction is more critical.
• Irritability: LTB, Epiglottitis, Foreign Body Aspiration. Irritability is a common symptom in all three conditions due to hypoxia and respiratory distress. In LTB (croup), inflammation leads to airway narrowing, causing discomfort and restlessness. In epiglottitis, the rapid onset of airway swelling results in agitation. Foreign body aspiration also causes significant distress due to the sudden obstruction of airflow.
• Drooling: Epiglottitis, Foreign Body Aspiration. Drooling is characteristic of epiglottitis because the client cannot swallow due to severe throat pain and airway swelling. It is also seen in foreign body aspiration when an object is lodged in the airway or esophagus, making swallowing difficult. Drooling is not a typical feature of LTB, where coughing and stridor are more prominent.
• Fever: LTB, Epiglottitis. Both LTB and epiglottitis are caused by infections and present with fever. In LTB, viral infections like parainfluenza commonly cause a low-to-moderate fever. Epiglottitis, often caused by bacterial infections such as Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), typically presents with a high fever, as seen in this case. Foreign body aspiration is not associated with fever unless secondary infection develops.
• Immunization Status: Epiglottitis. Epiglottitis is strongly linked to Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), a bacteria preventable by routine childhood vaccination. In unvaccinated individuals or those with incomplete immunization, epiglottitis is more likely to occur. Immunization status does not directly correlate with LTB (which is viral) or foreign body aspiration.

A. An adverse event. An adverse event is an unintended injury or complication resulting from medical care rather than the patient’s underlying condition. In this case, the surgical site infection (SSI) developed as a complication of surgery, requiring additional treatment. While adverse events may prolong recovery, they do not always indicate negligence or preventability.
B. A never event. Never events are serious, preventable medical errors that should not occur under proper care, such as surgery on the wrong site, retained surgical instruments, or administering the wrong medication. While SSIs are concerning, they are not classified as never events because they can occur even when proper precautions are taken.
C. A near miss. A near miss refers to an event that could have caused harm but was prevented before reaching the patient. Since the infection did occur and required intervention, it does not qualify as a near miss. A near miss example would be identifying and correcting a medication error before administration.
D. A sentinel event. Sentinel events involve unexpected occurrences that result in serious injury, permanent harm, or death, such as patient suicide, wrong-site surgery, or a fatal medication error. Although the infection required prolonged treatment, it did not lead to severe harm or death, making it an adverse event rather than a sentinel event.