The home care nurse assesses a client diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who is reporting increased dyspnea. The client is on home oxygen via a concentrator at 2 L per minute, and has a respiratory rate of 22 breaths per minute. Which action should the nurse take?
- A. Determine the need to increase the oxygen.
- B. Reassure the client that there is no need to worry.
- C. Conduct further assessment of the client's respiratory status.
- D. Call emergency services to take the client to the emergency department.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: With the client's respiratory rate at 22 breaths per minute, the nurse should obtain further assessment. Oxygen is not increased without the approval of the primary health care provider, especially because the client with COPD can retain carbon dioxide. Reassuring the client that there is 'no need to worry' is inappropriate. Calling emergency services is a premature action.
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To ensure client safety, which assessment is most important for the nurse to make before advancing a client from liquid to solid food?
- A. Bowel sounds
- B. Chewing ability
- C. Current appetite
- D. Food preferences
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse needs to assess the client's chewing ability before advancing a client from liquid to solid food. It may be necessary to modify a client's diet to a soft or mechanical chopped diet if the client has difficulty chewing because of the risk of aspiration. Bowel sounds should be present before introducing any diet, including liquids. Appetite will affect the amount of food eaten, but not the type of diet prescribed. Food preferences should be ascertained on admission assessment.
A client diagnosed with chronic kidney disease is prescribed epoetin alfa. When discussing measures needed to support this medication therapy, the nurse should include information regarding which supplement?
- A. Iron
- B. Zinc
- C. Calcium
- D. Magnesium
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Epoetin alfa is a hematopoietic agent used to stimulate red blood cell production in clients with anemia, such as those with chronic kidney disease. Iron supplementation is necessary to support this therapy because adequate iron stores are required for effective erythropoiesis. Without sufficient iron, the effectiveness of epoetin alfa is reduced. Zinc, calcium, and magnesium are not directly related to supporting red blood cell production in this context.
The nurse hangs an intravenous (IV) bag of 1000 mL of 5% dextrose in water (D5W) at 3 pm and sets the flow rate to infuse at 75 mL/hour. At 11 pm, the nurse should expect the fluid remaining in the IV bag to be at approximately which level?
Correct Answer: 400 mL
Rationale: In an 8-hour period, 600 mL would infuse if an IV is set to infuse at 75 mL/hour. Therefore, 400 mL would remain in the IV bag.
The nurse sends a sputum specimen to the laboratory for culture from a client with suspected active tuberculosis (TB). The results report that Mycobacterium tuberculosis is cultured. How should the nurse correctly analyze these results?
- A. The results are positive for active tuberculosis.
- B. The results indicate a less virulent strain of tuberculosis.
- C. The results are inconclusive until a repeat sputum specimen is sent.
- D. The results are unreliable unless the client has also had a positive tuberculin skin test (TST).
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum or other body secretions or tissue confirms the diagnosis of active tuberculosis.
A client admitted to the hospital is suspected of having Guillain-Barré syndrome. Which assessment findings should the nurse identify as manifestations of this disorder? Select all that apply.
- A. Dysphagia
- B. Paresthesia
- C. Facial weakness
- D. Difficulty speaking
- E. Hyperactive deep tendon reflexes
- F. Descending symmetrical muscle weakness
Correct Answer: A,B,C,D
Rationale: Guillain-Barré syndrome is an acute autoimmune disorder characterized by varying degrees of motor weakness and paralysis. Motor manifestations include ascending symmetrical muscle weakness that leads to flaccid paralysis without muscle atrophy, decreased or absent deep tendon reflexes, respiratory compromise and respiratory failure, and loss of bladder and bowel control. Sensory manifestations include pain (cramping) and paresthesia. Cranial nerve manifestations include facial weakness, dysphagia, diplopia, and difficulty speaking. Autonomic manifestations include labile blood pressure, dysrhythmias, and tachycardia.