A nurse is providing care for a patient who complains of difficulty breathing. Which of the following assessments will best help the nurse determine the severity of the patient's dyspnea?
a. Ask the patient to describe the dyspnea.
b. Observe the patient throughout two to three respirations.
c. Count the patient's respiratory rate.
d. Have the patient rate the dyspnea on a 0 to 10 scale.
ANS: D
Dyspnea or shortness of breath is subjective and can best be described using a 0 to 10 scale. Describing it, observing the patient, and respiratory rate all provide good information but do not quantify severity like a rating scale does.
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