After a client receives a dose of albuterol, the nurse evaluates the medication's effects by auscultating the client's lung fields.
Which action should the nurse take next based on the assessment?
Use a peak flow meter to assess the respiratory status.
Administer a stat dose of corticosteroids.
Document the normal finding in the client's health record.
Repeat a dose of the client's rescue drug.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A rationale:
Use a peak flow meter to assess the respiratory status. Assessing the client's respiratory status using a peak flow meter is the most appropriate next action after administering albuterol, a bronchodilator. It helps determine the client's lung function and response to the medication. This information guides further interventions and treatment decisions.
Choice B rationale:
Administer a stat dose of corticosteroids. Administering corticosteroids may be indicated in some cases of respiratory distress or exacerbation of asthma. However, it should not be the immediate next step after albuterol administration. Assessing the client's response to albuterol through lung function testing (peak flow) is essential before deciding on additional medications.
Choice C rationale:
Document the normal finding in the client's health record. Documenting normal findings is important for maintaining accurate medical records, but in this case, it is premature. The nurse should first assess the client's response to albuterol and ensure that the respiratory status is indeed normal before documenting the findings.
Choice D rationale:
Repeat a dose of the client's rescue drug. Administering another dose of the rescue drug (albuterol) without assessing the client's response and lung function would not be the most appropriate action. It is essential to determine whether the initial dose was effective before considering additional doses or alternative treatments.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
The correct answer is choice C: Increase rate of ventilation.
Choice A rationale:
Decreasing expiratory flow time would not directly address the elevated PaCO2 levels. This intervention is more related to managing expiratory phase issues rather than correcting respiratory acidosis.
Choice B rationale:
Decreasing expiratory pressure might help with certain ventilation issues, but it does not specifically target the elevated PaCO2 and resulting acidosis.
Choice C rationale:
Increasing the rate of ventilation helps to blow off more CO2, thereby reducing PaCO2 levels and correcting the respiratory acidosis indicated by the pH of 7.26 and PaCO2 of 68 mm Hg.
Choice D rationale:
Increasing the ventilator tidal volume could also help reduce PaCO2 by increasing the amount of air exchanged with each breath. However, increasing the rate of ventilation is generally a more immediate and effective intervention for acute respiratory acidosis.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Procuring platelet products from the blood bank is a task that should be performed by a licensed nurse, not an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). It involves assessing the client's needs, verifying orders, and administering the product, which require nursing judgment and skills.
Choice B rationale:
Titrating oxygen to prescribed parameters is a nursing task that requires clinical judgment, especially if the client's condition changes. UAPs do not have the training or scope of practice to adjust oxygen levels. This task should be assigned to a licensed nurse.
Choice D rationale:
Inserting a urinary catheter, even for an uncomplicated client, is a task that should be performed by a licensed nurse. It involves the potential risk of infection and injury, and it requires sterile technique and assessment of the client's condition. UAPs do not have the training or scope of practice to insert urinary catheters.
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