A nursing student is assessing a postoperative client who has developed bilateral pneumonia. The nursing plan of care includes positioning the client in the semi-Fowler’s position, elevating the head of the bed from 30 degrees to 45 degrees.
What is the rationale for this position?

Choice A rationale:
The physical dimension encompasses the tangible, biological aspects of an individual, including age, race, gender, genetic inheritance, anatomy, and physiological processes.
Here's a detailed breakdown of how each of these factors aligns with the physical dimension in the context of the patient's hypertension:
Age:
Hypertension is more prevalent in older adults due to natural changes in the cardiovascular system, such as stiffening of arteries and decreased elasticity.
The patient's age of 68 years places him within this higher-risk category.
Race:
African Americans have a disproportionately higher risk of hypertension and related complications compared to other racial groups.
This disparity is attributed to a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors. Gender:
While both men and women experience hypertension, men tend to develop it earlier in life and have a higher lifetime risk.
This difference is partially due to hormonal influences and lifestyle factors.
Genetic inheritance:
Hypertension often has a significant genetic component.
Individuals with a family history of hypertension are more likely to develop the condition themselves, suggesting a role of inherited genes in blood pressure regulation.
Choice B rationale:
The emotional dimension focuses on psychological and mental aspects, including feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and coping mechanisms.
While emotions can certainly influence blood pressure and overall health, they are not directly categorized under the physical dimension in this context.
Choice C rationale:
The environmental dimension addresses external factors that impact health, such as access to healthcare, social support, exposure to pollutants, and community resources.
While these factors can indirectly contribute to hypertension risk, they are not inherent physical characteristics of the individual.
Choice D rationale:
The holistic dimension encompasses a comprehensive view of health, integrating physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental aspects.
While holistic care is essential for managing hypertension, the question specifically asks about the dimension that age, race, gender, and genetic inheritance exemplify, which is most accurately aligned with the physical dimension.

Choice A rationale:
Tertiary health promotion and illness prevention focus on managing existing health conditions and preventing complications. Administering a nebulized bronchodilator to a client who is short of breath directly addresses an existing respiratory problem, aiming to relieve symptoms and prevent further respiratory distress. This intervention falls under tertiary prevention because it targets a client already experiencing respiratory symptoms.
Key points:
Bronchodilators open constricted airways, easing airflow and breathing.
Nebulizers deliver medication directly to the lungs, providing rapid relief.
Shortness of breath is a common symptom of respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD.
Prompt treatment of respiratory symptoms can prevent worsening of the condition and potential complications.
Choice B rationale:
Teaching a client about the risks of light cigarettes is an example of primary prevention. It aims to prevent lung disease before it develops by educating individuals about the harms of smoking.
Choice C rationale:
Advocating for more explicit warning labels on cigarette packages is a form of secondary prevention. It targets at-risk populations (smokers) to encourage behavior change and reduce smoking rates, ultimately lowering the incidence of lung disease.
Choice D rationale:
Assisting with lung function testing is a diagnostic procedure, not a tertiary prevention intervention. It helps to identify respiratory problems but doesn't directly manage or prevent them.