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The nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled for a lobectomy for a diagnosis of lung cancer. While assisting with a subclavian vein central line insertion, the nurse notes the clients oxygen saturation rapidly dropping. The patient complains of shortness of breath and becomes tachypneic. The nurse suspects a pneumothorax has developed. Further assessment findings supporting the presence of a pneumothorax include what?
- A. Diminished or absent breath sounds on the affected side
- B. Paradoxical chest wall movement with respirations
- C. Sudden loss of consciousness
- D. Muffled heart sounds
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In the case of a simple pneumothorax, auscultating the breath sounds will reveal absent or diminished breath sounds on the affected side. Paradoxical chest wall movements occur in flail chest conditions. Sudden loss of consciousness does not typically occur. Muffled or distant heart sounds occur in pericardial tamponade.
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The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving oxygen therapy for pneumonia. How should the nurse best assess whether the patient is hypoxemic?
- A. Assess the patients level of consciousness (LOC)
- B. Assess the patients extremities for signs of cyanosis
- C. Assess the patients oxygen saturation level
- D. Review the patients hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell levels
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The effectiveness of the patients oxygen therapy is assessed by the ABG analysis or pulse oximetry. ABG results may not be readily available. Presence or absence of cyanosis is not an accurate indicator of oxygen effectiveness. The patients LOC may be affected by hypoxia, but not every change in LOC is related to oxygenation. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell levels do not directly reflect current oxygenation status.
An x-ray of a trauma patient reveals rib fractures and the patient is diagnosed with a small flail chest injury. Which intervention should the nurse include in the patients plan of care?
- A. Suction the patients airway secretions
- B. Immobilize the ribs with an abdominal binder
- C. Prepare the patient for surgery
- D. Immediately sedate and intubate the patient
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: As with rib fracture, treatment of flail chest is usually supportive. Management includes clearing secretions from the lungs, and controlling pain. If only a small segment of the chest is involved, it is important to clear the airway through positioning, coughing, deep breathing, and suctioning. Intubation is required for severe flail chest injuries, and surgery is required only in rare circumstances to stabilize the flail segment.
A gerontologic nurse is teaching a group of medical nurses about the high incidence and mortality of pneumonia in older adults. What is a contributing factor to this that the nurse should describe?
- A. Older adults have less compliant lung tissue than younger adults
- B. Older adults are not normally candidates for pneumococcal vaccination
- C. Older adults often lack the classic signs and symptoms of pneumonia
- D. Older adults often cannot tolerate the most common antibiotics used to treat pneumonia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The diagnosis of pneumonia may be missed because the classic symptoms of cough, chest pain, sputum production, and fever may be absent or masked in older adult patients. Mortality from pneumonia in the elderly is not a result of limited antibiotic options or lower lung compliance. The pneumococcal vaccine is appropriate for older adults.
The nurse is caring for an 82-year-old patient with a diagnosis of tracheobronchitis. The patient begins complaining of right-sided chest pain that gets worse when he coughs or breathes deeply. Vital signs are within normal limits. What would you suspect this patient is experiencing?
- A. Traumatic pneumothorax
- B. Empyema
- C. Pleuritic pain
- D. Myocardial infarction
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The key characteristic of pleuritic pain is its relationship to respiratory movement. Taking a deep breath, coughing, or sneezing worsens the pain. Pleuritic pain is limited in distribution rather than diffuse; it usually occurs only on one side. The pain may become minimal or absent when the breath is held. It may be localized or radiate to the shoulder or abdomen. Later, as pleural fluid develops, the pain decreases. The scenario does not indicate any trauma to the patient, so a traumatic pneumothorax is implausible. Empyema is unlikely as there is no fever indicative of infection. Myocardial infarction would affect the patients vital signs profoundly.
A new employee asks the occupational health nurse about measures to prevent inhalation exposure of the substances. Which statement by the nurse will decrease the patients exposure risk to toxic substances?
- A. Position a fan blowing on the toxic substances to prevent the substance from becoming stagnant in the air
- B. Wear protective attire and devices when working with a toxic substance
- C. Make sure that you keep your immunizations up to date to prevent respiratory diseases resulting from toxins
- D. Always wear a disposable paper face mask when you are working with inhalable toxins
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: When working with toxic substances, the employee must wear or use protective devices such as face masks, hoods, or industrial respirators. Immunizations do not confer protection from toxins and a paper mask is normally insufficient protection. Never position a fan directly blowing on the toxic substance as it will disperse the fumes throughout the area.