A patient with pneumonia is having difficulty raising secretions for a sputum culture. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
a. Encourage the patient to take deep breaths.
b. Suction the patient to obtain a specimen.
c. Administer a bronchodilator.
d. Obtain the specimen with a cotton-tipped swab.
ANS: A
Deep breathing can trigger a cough and help raise sputum. Suctioning and bronchodilators may help but are more invasive and would not be tried first. A cotton-tipped swab can obtain a throat culture, not a sputum specimen.
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