A nurse is caring for a client who has respiratory acidosis. Which of the following pH levels should the nurse expect?

(A) Heart murmur: This is the most appropriate answer. Mitral valve stenosis can cause a heart murmur due to turbulent blood flow across the narrowed mitral valve. This is often heard best at the apex of the heart with the patient in the left lateral decubitus position.

(B) Clubbing of the fingers: Clubbing of the fingers is typically associated with conditions that cause chronic hypoxia, such as lung disease or congenital heart disease. It is not a common finding in mitral valve stenosis.

(C) Bradycardia: Mitral valve stenosis does not typically cause bradycardia. In fact, some patients may have a rapid heart rate (tachycardia) due to atrial fibrillation, which is a common complication of mitral valve stenosis.

(D) Barrel chest: A barrel chest is typically associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is not a common finding in mitral valve stenosis. It refers to a rounded, bulging chest that resembles the shape of a barrel. This occurs due to overinflation of the lungs over a long period of time.

A. Helping the client into the shower: This task can be safely delegated to an assistive personnel (AP). The AP can help the client with activities of daily living such as showering, as long as the client is stable and does not require close monitoring.

B. Ambulating the client in the hallway: This task can also be delegated to an AP. Assisting with ambulation is within the scope of practice for an AP, provided the client is stable and there are no specific concerns that require a nurse’s assessment.

C. Measuring vital signs: While measuring vital signs is a critical task, it can be delegated to an AP. The AP can be trained to accurately measure and report vital signs. However, the nurse should review and interpret the results.

D. Removing the sternal dressing: This is the correct answer. Removing a sternal dressing after cardiac surgery is a complex task that requires a nurse’s expertise2. The nurse needs to assess the surgical site for signs of infection or complications, which is beyond the scope of practice for an AP. Therefore, this task should not be delegated and should be performed by the nurse herself