NCLEX RN Questions on Health Promotion and Maintenance Related

Review NCLEX RN Questions on Health Promotion and Maintenance related questions and content

The nurse is giving a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) information related to the positions used to breathe more easily. The nurse teaches the client to assume which position?

  • A. Sit bolt upright in bed with the arms crossed over the chest.
  • B. Lie on the side with the head of the bed at a 45-degree angle.
  • C. Sit in a reclining chair tilted slightly back with the feet elevated.
  • D. Sit on the edge of the bed with the arms leaning on an overbed table.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Proper positioning can decrease episodes of dyspnea in a client with COPD. Appropriate positions include sitting upright while leaning on an overbed table, sitting upright in a chair with the arms resting on the knees, and leaning against a wall while standing. Sitting bolt upright with arms folded across the chest restricts the movement of the anterior and posterior walls of the lung, and side-lying with the head of bed raised to a 45-degree position restricts the expansion of the lateral wall of the lung. Option 3 restricts posterior lung expansion.