The nurse receives a change-of-shift report on the following patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Which patient should the nurse assess first?
a. A patient with loud expiratory wheezes
b. A patient with a respiratory rate of 38/minute
c. A patient who has a cough productive of thick, green mucus
d. A patient with jugular venous distention and peripheral edema
ANS: B
A respiratory rate of 38/minute indicates severe respiratory distress, and the patient needs immediate assessment and intervention to prevent possible respiratory arrest. The other patients also need assessment as soon as possible, but they do not need to be assessed as urgently as the tachypneic patient.
You might also like to view...
Drug antagonism is best defined as an effect of a drug that:
1. Leads to major physiological and psychological dependence 2. Is modified by the concurrent administration of another drug 3. Cannot be metabolized before another dose is administered 4. Leads to a decreased physiological response when combined with another drug
When obtaining the nutritional health history from a female client, which question would be best to elicit information about the client's knowledge of her own health status?
A) "Are you now or have you been on a diet recently?" B) "How much fluid do you drink in a day?" C) "What are your height and usual weight?" D) "Can you tell me what you ate in the last 24 hours?"
The nurse is preparing to counsel a 46-year-old woman who has been postmenopausal for 1 year about the common health risks associated with menopause. What should the nurse include in this teaching? Select all that apply.
A. Osteoporosis B. Heart disease C. Hypertension D. Diabetes E. Macular degeneration
For older adults, a number of health-related concerns should be addressed. The nurse incorporates this information to meet the needs of the older adult patient
Which of the following statements accurately reflects data that the nurse should use in planning care? a. Approximately 50% of adults older than 65 years have two chronic health problems. b. Cancer is the most common cause of death among older adults. c. The nutritional needs of older adults are affected by older adults' levels of activity and by clinical conditions. d. Adults older than 65 years make up the lowest percentage of users of prescription medications.