Critical Care Nursing Practice Questions Related

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A patient who is orally intubated and receiving mechanical ventilation is anxious and is fighting the ventilator. Which action should the nurse take next?

  • A. Verbally coach the patient to breathe with the ventilator.
  • B. Sedate the patient with the ordered PRN lorazepam (Ativan).
  • C. Manually ventilate the patient with a bag-valve-mask device.
  • D. Increase the rate for the ordered propofol (Diprivan) infusion.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Verbally coach the patient to breathe with the ventilator. This approach allows the nurse to address the patient's anxiety and help them synchronize their breathing with the ventilator, promoting better ventilation and oxygenation. It is important to first try non-invasive interventions before resorting to sedation or manual ventilation. Sedating the patient (B) should be a last resort to avoid potential complications. Manual ventilation (C) may disrupt the ventilator settings and cause respiratory distress. Increasing the rate of propofol infusion (D) is not indicated unless the patient's sedation level is inadequate.