A medical patient rings her call bell and expresses alarm to the nurse, stating, 'I've just coughed up this blood. That can't be good, can it?' How can the nurse best determine whether the source of the blood was the patient's lungs?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Try to see if the blood is frothy or mixed with mucus. By observing if the blood is frothy or mixed with mucus, the nurse can determine if the source is more likely to be from the lungs, as blood from the lungs is often frothy due to air mixing with it during coughing. This observation helps differentiate between blood coming from the respiratory tract versus other sources in the body.
Incorrect choices:
A: Testing the pH of the blood does not directly indicate the source of the blood in this context.
C: Performing oral suctioning may not provide accurate information about the source of the blood.
D: Swabbing the back of the throat may not help determine if the blood is coming from the lungs as it could be from other sources in the upper respiratory tract.