A nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with lung carcinoma and scheduled for a left pneumonectomy. The nurse should prioritize which nursing Intervention in the immediate postoperative period?

A. Clubbing of the fingers: This finding is often associated with chronic respiratory conditions, including emphysema, due to prolonged hypoxia. The chronic low oxygen levels can lead to changes in the nail beds, resulting in clubbing as the body attempts to compensate for the decreased oxygenation. Therefore, clubbing is a common assessment finding in clients with emphysema.
B. Bradycardia: Emphysema typically does not cause bradycardia; instead, clients may experience tachycardia due to increased respiratory effort and oxygen demand. While individual variations can occur, bradycardia is not a standard finding in clients with emphysema, making this option less likely to be present.
C. Barrel chest: This is a common physical assessment finding in clients with emphysema. The chronic overinflation of the lungs leads to a characteristic increase in the anteroposterior diameter of the chest, resulting in a barrel-shaped appearance. This occurs as the diaphragm becomes flattened and the rib cage is expanded from prolonged air trapping.
D. Dyspnea: Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a hallmark symptom of emphysema. As the disease progresses, clients may experience increased difficulty in breathing, especially during exertion, due to the destruction of alveoli and reduced lung elasticity. This finding is expected and significant in the assessment of a client with emphysema.
E. Deep respirations: In emphysema, clients often exhibit shallow, rapid breathing patterns rather than deep respirations. The loss of elasticity in the lungs leads to difficulty in full lung expansion, which can result in a more shallow and increased respiratory rate. Therefore, deep respirations are not a typical finding in clients with emphysema.

A. "Your body will slowly develop an ability to smell through your stoma." The olfactory system relies on air passing through the nasal passages to detect scents. After a total laryngectomy, the airway is rerouted through a stoma, bypassing the nose entirely. The body does not develop an alternative way to smell through the stoma, making this statement inaccurate.
B. "Breathing through a stoma has altered your sense of smell." A total laryngectomy permanently separates the respiratory and digestive tracts, preventing air from passing through the nose, which is necessary for olfaction. As a result, clients often experience anosmia (loss of smell). This response accurately explains the reason behind the alteration in the client’s sense of smell.
C. "Your sense of smell will gradually return after several months." Unlike temporary post-surgical changes, the loss of smell after a total laryngectomy is typically permanent unless the client learns to use techniques such as the "polite yawning" method (nasal airflow-inducing maneuver) to regain some olfactory function. It does not naturally return over time.
D. "As your appetite returns, your sense of smell will also return." Appetite and sense of smell are closely linked, but appetite improvement does not restore olfaction after a laryngectomy. Since air no longer flows through the nasal passages, the ability to detect smells is significantly impaired or lost.