A nurse is caring for a school-age child with respiratory failure due to pneumonia. Which position should the nurse encourage to allow for maximal lung expansion?

Choice A rationale
Locking the wheels of the bed and the wheelchair is an important safety measure when assisting a client to move from the bed to a wheelchair. However, this action alone is not sufficient. The nurse also needs to ensure the client’s safety during the transfer by using proper body mechanics and providing adequate support.
Choice B rationale
Elevating the bed to a position of comfort for the nurse is the correct action. This helps to ensure that the nurse can maintain proper body mechanics during the transfer, reducing the risk of injury to both the nurse and the client.
Choice C rationale
Getting the help of several staff members to lift the client is not typically necessary when transferring a client with generalized weakness from the bed to a wheelchair. With proper positioning and technique, one nurse can often safely assist the client with this type of transfer.
Choice D rationale
Placing the wheelchair at a 90° angle to the bed is not the recommended position when transferring a client from the bed to a wheelchair. Instead, the wheelchair should be positioned parallel to the bed or at a slight angle.

Choice A rationale
The nurse should wait for 30 minutes and then measure the client’s oral temperature. Consuming cold substances like ice chips can temporarily lower the oral temperature, leading to inaccurate readings. Therefore, it’s recommended to wait for a period of time to allow the oral temperature to return to its normal state.
Choice B rationale
Proceeding to measure the client’s oral temperature immediately after consuming ice chips would likely result in an inaccurately low reading. The cold from the ice chips can temporarily lower the temperature in the mouth.
Choice C rationale
Documenting the inability to obtain an accurate reading of the client’s oral temperature is not the best action in this situation. While it’s important to document any factors that might affect the accuracy of a temperature reading, in this case, the nurse can simply wait a period of time after the client has consumed the ice chips before taking the oral temperature.
Choice D rationale
Providing the client a sip of warm water and waiting 5 minutes before measuring his oral temperature may not be sufficient to ensure an accurate temperature reading. The mouth needs adequate time to return to its normal temperature after consuming something cold.