You are the nurse educator on a medical unit. What action would be expected from a nurse in the proficient stage of clinical competence when assessing shortness of breath in a patient?

a. Increases the oxygen concentration on a patient complaining of shortness of breath
b. Places a patient complaining of shortness of breath in high Fowler's position after hearing coarse crackles and rhonchi and obtaining a pulse oxygenation of 88%
c. Checks the oxygen saturation
d. Calls the physician to notify her of the pa-tient's change in condition


ANS: B
The proficient nurse will assess and reposition a patient first before taking the next step of calling the physician. The other options are appropriate for a nurse at a different level of nursing.

Nursing

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