A nurse is caring for a client who has pneumonia and is coughing up secretions. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Encourage the client to cough and deep breathe.
Obtain the client's temperature.
Encourage the client to increase oral fluids.
Provide chest percussion on the client.
The Correct Answer is A
A. This action helps the client to clear pulmonary secretions and improve ventilation. Coughing and deep breathing exercises are essential for maintaining airway patency and preventing complications such as atelectasis and respiratory distress.
B. Monitoring the client's temperature is important to assess for fever, which can indicate infection severity or response to treatment. However, in a client actively coughing up secretions, immediate interventions to promote airway clearance take precedence over obtaining temperature.
C. Adequate hydration can help liquefy pulmonary secretions, making them easier to expectorate. However, this action is secondary to promoting effective coughing and deep breathing to clear secretions already present in the airways.
D. Chest percussion can help loosen and mobilize secretions in the lungs. However, this intervention requires assessment of the client's respiratory status and may not be appropriate as the first action without first assessing the client's tolerance and condition.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Stiffness in the lower extremities can occur due to lack of movement and muscle disuse. Prolonged immobility leads to muscle atrophy and contractures, causing stiffness and reduced range of motion. This is a common complication seen in clients who are bedridden or have limited mobility.
B. A reddened area over the sacrum indicates a potential pressure injury or pressure ulcer. Immobility increases the risk of pressure ulcers due to prolonged pressure on bony prominences, such as the sacrum. Regular repositioning and pressure relief strategies are essential to prevent skin breakdown in immobile clients.
C. Difficulty hearing certain types of sounds is not typically associated with immobility. It may be related to age-related changes in hearing or other auditory issues but is not a direct complication of immobility.
D. Difficulty moving the upper extremities can occur due to muscle weakness or disuse atrophy, which can result from immobility. However, it is less common compared to stiffness and difficulty in the lower extremities because upper extremities are often more frequently moved or exercised even in bedridden clients.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Clamping the chest tubes is contraindicated because it can lead to tension pneumothorax, a life- threatening condition where air accumulates in the pleural space under pressure. If the chest tube becomes disconnected, the nurse should immediately place the end of the tube in sterile water to maintain the water seal and prevent air from entering the pleural space.
B. The drainage container must always be kept below the level of the client's chest. This position allows gravity to facilitate drainage from the pleural space into the collection chamber. If the container is positioned above the client's chest, drainage could potentially flow back into the pleural space, leading to complications.
C. It is essential to monitor and record the amount and characteristics of drainage regularly. Emptying the collection container at least once every shift ensures accurate measurement of drainage output and helps in assessing the client's response to treatment.
D. The water-seal chamber of the chest drainage system maintains the desired amount of suction (usually
-20 cm H2O) to facilitate lung re-expansion. This chamber should be filled with sterile water to the recommended level, usually marked on the device. Adding tap water can introduce contaminants and should be avoided.
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