The nurse is caring for an unconscious patient who has an oral airway in place, and who has copious amounts of oral secretions. What may the nurse have to do while caring for this patient? (Select all that apply.)

a. Cleanse the mouth frequently using lemon glycerin swabs.
b. Replace or clean the oral airway.
c. Suction the oral cavity frequently.
d. Keep the airway in place for extended periods.


B, C
Do not use lemon glycerin swabs for oral care because they are drying to mucosal tissues and promote bacterial growth. The oral airway will have to be removed, cleaned or discarded, and replaced in patients with excessive oral secretions. Frequent suctioning of the oral cavity may be required. Oral airways are not a long-term solution. They can cause significant lip and tongue erosion.

Nursing

You might also like to view...

The most appropriate hemodynamic monitoring procedure to assess the left ventricular function of a patient who has suffered an MI would be:

A) CVP monitoring B) Pulmonary artery pressure monitoring (PAPM) C) Systemic arterial pressure monitoring (SAPM) D) Arterial blood gases (ABG)

Nursing

A client drank 2/3 of a 12 ounce (oz) can of seltzer water

How many ounces of seltzer water did the client drink? ______

Nursing

A dominant focus of patient care in the current health care environment is:

a. To increase cost to increase profit. b. To contain rising costs. c. To ignore rising costs. d. To manage care according to cost.

Nursing

For the client with cirrhosis, what nursing intervention(s) would be most appropriate to control fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity?

A. Monitoring intake and output B. Providing a low-sodium diet C. Increasing PO fluid intake D. Weighing the client daily

Nursing