Fundamentals of Nursing: The Art and Science of Person-Centered Care Tenth, North American Edition - Health of the Individual, Family, Community, and Environment Related

Review Fundamentals of Nursing: The Art and Science of Person-Centered Care Tenth, North American Edition - Health of the Individual, Family, Community, and Environment related questions and content

A 2-year-old boy arrives at the emergency department of a local hospital with difficulty breathing from an asthmatic attack. Which of the following would be the priority nursing intervention?

  • A. giving him his favorite stuffed animal to hold
  • B. assessing respirations and administering oxygen
  • C. raising the side rails and restraining his arms
  • D. asking his mother what are his favorite foods
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Assessing respirations and administering oxygen addresses the child's physiologic need for air, which is the most urgent priority in Maslow's hierarchy during an asthmatic attack.