The nurse is caring for a frail older client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who is having difficulty clearing secretions from the respiratory tract. Which actions can the nurse take to help this client? Select all that apply.
1. Offer only hot beverages.
2. Use postural drainage.
3. Perform chest percussion.
4. Teach controlled coughing.
5. Perform tracheal suctioning.
2. Use postural drainage.
3. Perform chest percussion.
4. Teach controlled coughing.
5. Perform tracheal suctioning.
Explanation: 1. Oral fluids help to thin respiratory secretions and should not be limited in the client with COPD. Hot drinks like broth, tea, and coffee should be offered, but the goal is to get fluids into the client by meeting their preferences, whether that is hot or cold drinks.
2. Postural drainage uses gravity to force secretion upward and stimulates a cough reflex. If the client can tolerate this, it is a great intervention.
3. Chest percussion loosens secretions.
4. Controlled coughing contracts the diaphragm to maximize the cough response.
5. Tracheal suctioning is used to remove secretions in those who are too frail or near end of life.
You might also like to view...
The nurse, caring for a patient taking a beta-blocker and a nitrate to treat angina, recognizes the need for careful monitoring as the result of what secondary diagnosis?
A) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) B) Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) C) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) D) Chronic urinary tract infection (UTI)
The nurse is beginning the physical examination of a client with a complaint of fatigue. What documentation will the nurse provide to describe this general appraisal of the client's health?
A) The client appears mildly ill, listless, and disheveled. B) The client has a blood pressure of 120/72 mm Hg. C) The client is alert and oriented to all spheres. D) The client has palpable peripheral pulses in the upper extremities.
A patient wearing a long leg cast has assessment findings of compartment syndrome in the extremity. The nurse demonstrates understanding of the complication and its specific treatment by gathering which equipment?
1. Pillows to elevate the leg 2. A percussion hammer 3. Buck's traction equipment 4. Ace bandages
Which of the following is a major reason that health disparities exist?
A) No sensitivity to the needs of the individuals to be served B) Problems experienced in accessing and effectively utilizing health services C) Belief that individual's health is not closely related to community health. D) Common ground exists among clients and communities to encourage culturally competent health care partnerships.