A nurse notices clear fluid on the surgical dressing of a patient who has just returned from lumbar spinal surgery. What should be the nurse’s immediate course of action?

Choice A rationale
Reviewing the history and physical (H&P), nurse’s notes, flow sheet, and orders is a standard part of nursing care for any patient. However, in the case of a 3-week-old infant who has had a seizure, this action alone would not directly address the condition the infant is most likely experiencing.

Choice B rationale
While calling for a chest x-ray could be part of the diagnostic process for certain conditions, it is not typically the first action taken in response to a seizure in an infant.

Choice C rationale
Hypocalcemia, or low calcium levels in the blood, can cause seizures in infants. Phenytoin, the medication given to the baby in the ambulance, is used to control seizures. Therefore, hypocalcemia could be the condition the infant is experiencing.

Choice D rationale

Monitoring the respiratory rate is an important part of assessing any patient’s condition, especially an infant who has had a seizure. However, it does not specify the condition the infant is most likely experiencing.

Choice A rationale
The absence of coarse crackles is not necessarily an indication that chest physiotherapy (CPT) has been effective for a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Coarse crackles are often heard in conditions where there is fluid in the airways, such as pneumonia or heart failure. While their absence might indicate that there is no fluid in the airways, it does not necessarily mean that secretions have been effectively mobilized.
Choice B rationale
An increase in breath sounds is a good indication that chest physiotherapy (CPT) has been effective for a client with COPD3. CPT is a group of therapies designed to improve respiratory efficiency, promote expansion of the lungs, strengthen respiratory muscles, and eliminate secretions from the respiratory system. When these secretions are effectively mobilized and removed, breath sounds can become clearer and more easily heard.
Choice C rationale

The absence of fine crackles is not necessarily an indication that CPT has been effective for a client with COPD. Fine crackles are often heard in conditions where there is fluid in the airways or alveoli, such as pneumonia or heart failure. While their absence might indicate that there is no fluid in the airways or alveoli, it does not necessarily mean that secretions have been effectively mobilized.
Choice D rationale
An increase in respiratory rate is not necessarily an indication that CPT has been effective for a client with COPD. In fact, an increased respiratory rate could indicate respiratory distress, which could suggest that the therapy has not been effective or that the client’s condition has worsened.