The nurse is preparing to assess a hospitalized patient who is experiencing significant shortness of breath. How should the nurse proceed with the assessment?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because when a patient is experiencing significant shortness of breath, the nurse should initially focus on assessing the areas directly related to the presenting problem to address the immediate issue. This approach allows for prompt intervention and treatment of the patient's acute condition. Once the patient's respiratory distress is managed, the nurse can then proceed with a complete assessment to identify any underlying or additional health issues. This stepwise approach ensures that the patient's urgent needs are met first before conducting a comprehensive assessment.
Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because:
B: Performing a mini-database by only examining body areas directly related to the problem may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the patient's condition and could overlook other potential health issues.
C: Dismissing significant shortness of breath as a normal finding and proceeding with an abdominal assessment is inappropriate and could delay necessary interventions for the respiratory distress.
D: Examining the entire body to determine if the problem is linked to something else is inefficient and