Medical Surgical HESI 2023 Related

Review Medical Surgical HESI 2023 related questions and content

A client with a history of asthma and bronchitis arrives at the clinic with shortness of breath, productive cough with thickening mucus, and the inability to walk up a flight of stairs without experiencing breathlessness. Which action is most important for the nurse to instruct the client about self-care?

  • A. Increase the daily intake of oral fluids to liquefy secretions
  • B. Avoid crowded enclosed areas to reduce pathogen exposure
  • C. Call the clinic if undesirable side effects of medications occur
  • D. Teach anxiety reduction methods for feelings of suffocation
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Increasing fluid intake is crucial as it helps to thin mucus secretions, making them easier to expectorate. This can alleviate the client's symptoms of shortness of breath and productive cough. Option B is not the most important action in this scenario, as it does not directly address the client's respiratory distress. Option C, while important, focuses on medication side effects rather than addressing the immediate breathing difficulties. Option D, teaching anxiety reduction methods, is not the priority when the client's main concern is respiratory distress.