What action should the nurse take before starting an enteral feeding using a newly inserted nasogastric feeding tube?

Choice A rationale
Pursed-lip breathing can help improve oxygenation and reduce shortness of breath in clients with COPD. However, it is not the priority action when a client reports difficulty breathing.
Choice B rationale
Increasing the oxygen flow rate without a physician’s order can lead to oxygen toxicity or suppress the respiratory drive in clients with COPD. Therefore, this is not the priority action.
Choice C rationale
Coughing and expectorating secretions can help clear the airways, but it is not the priority action when a client reports difficulty breathing.

Choice D rationale
Evaluating the client’s respiratory status is the priority action. The nurse should assess the client’s breath sounds, respiratory rate, use of accessory muscles, and oxygen saturation to determine the severity of the client’s difficulty breathing and guide further interventions.

Choice A rationale
Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is essential for many functions in the body, including cell growth and division, amino acid metabolism, and the formation of white and red blood cells. However, it is not the treatment for pernicious anemia.
Choice B rationale
Pernicious anemia is a condition where the body cannot absorb enough vitamin B12 in the small intestine, causing a drop in red blood cells. Treatment for pernicious anemia involves vitamin B12 injections or oral supplementation to restore levels to an optimal range, followed by continued injections or oral medications to maintain these levels.
Choice C rationale
Vitamin C is essential for the growth, development, and repair of all body tissues. It’s involved in many body functions, including the formation of collagen, absorption of iron, the immune system, wound healing, and the maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth. However, it is not the treatment for pernicious anemia.
Choice D rationale
Iron is a mineral that our bodies need for many functions. For example, iron is part of hemoglobin, a protein which carries oxygen from our lungs throughout our bodies. However, it is not the treatment for pernicious anemia.