A nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with advanced COPD. The nurse should anticipate which assessment findings when caring for clients with advanced COPD? (Select all that apply.)
Elevated temperature.
Pursed-lip breathing.
Clubbing of the fingers.
Concave chest.
Dyspnea at rest.
Correct Answer : B,D,E
A. Elevated temperature: Elevated temperature is not typically associated with advanced COPD unless there is an underlying infection. Infections such as pneumonia may exacerbate COPD symptoms but are not universal findings in advanced COPD.
B. Pursed-lip breathing: Pursed-lip breathing is a common compensatory mechanism seen in clients with COPD. It helps to slow down the rate of expiration and prevents alveolar collapse, improving gas exchange.
C. Clubbing of the fingers: Clubbing of the fingers is not typically associated with COPD. It is more commonly seen in conditions such as chronic hypoxemia, congenital heart disease, and certain lung diseases like bronchiectasis.
D. Concave chest: In advanced COPD, the chest may appear hyperinflated with a barrel-shaped chest due to air trapping. The presence of a concave chest is not characteristic of COPD.
E. Dyspnea at rest: Dyspnea, or difficulty breathing, is a hallmark symptom of COPD. In advanced stages, clients may experience dyspnea even at rest due to severe airflow limitation and impaired gas exchange.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Joint contractures: Joint contractures are a common manifestation of systemic scleroderma, but they are not directly related to altered tissue perfusion. They are more related to skin and tissue fibrosis.
B. Peripheral arterial dilation: Peripheral arterial dilation is not typically associated with systemic scleroderma. Instead, peripheral vasoconstriction, such as in Raynaud's phenomenon, is more common.
C. Raynaud's phenomenon: Raynaud's phenomenon, characterized by episodic vasospasm of small arteries in response to cold or stress, can lead to impaired tissue perfusion, especially in the extremities.
D. Pulmonary fibrosis: Pulmonary fibrosis is a complication of systemic scleroderma that affects lung tissue, but it is not directly related to altered tissue perfusion. It may lead to impaired gas exchange rather than altered perfusion.
Correct Answer is []
Explanation
Condition Most Likely Experiencing: Heart failure.
The client presents with signs and symptoms consistent with heart failure, including cardiomegaly, bibasilar pleural congestion on chest x-ray, elevated BNP level, and vital signs indicating hypertension (BP 146/98 mm Hg), tachycardia (pulse rate 106/min), and tachypnea (respirations 24/min). Additionally, the client is prescribed medications commonly used to manage heart failure, such as digoxin and carvedilol, and is receiving a diuretic (furosemide) to address fluid overload associated with heart failure.
Action to Take:
Elevate the head of the bed: Elevating the head of the bed helps reduce venous return to the heart, decreasing preload and potentially alleviating symptoms of heart failure, such as dyspnea and orthopnea. It can also help prevent aspiration in clients with compromised cardiac function. Encourage intake of a low-sodium diet: A low-sodium diet is essential in managing heart failure as it helps reduce fluid retention and edema by decreasing fluid volume overload. Sodium restriction helps minimize fluid accumulation, which is crucial in preventing exacerbations of heart failure.
Parameter to Monitor:
Urinary output: Monitoring urinary output is important in assessing fluid balance and response to diuretic therapy in clients with heart failure. Decreased urinary output may indicate worsening heart failure or inadequate response to diuretic therapy, whereas increased output may suggest over-diuresis or improvement in heart failure symptoms.
Blood pressure: Monitoring blood pressure helps assess the effectiveness of treatment in managing heart failure and controlling hypertension, a common comorbidity. Hypertension can exacerbate heart failure, so monitoring blood pressure trends helps guide adjustments in medication therapy to achieve optimal blood pressure control and improve cardiac function.
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