A client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is being discharged home. What should the nurse include in the discharge teaching?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. Pursed-lip breathing helps control breathing and improves oxygen exchange in clients with COPD. It can ease shortness of breath during activities and should be included in discharge teaching to manage symptoms. Option A is incorrect as adequate fluid intake is important for thinning mucus in COPD. Option B is wrong as physical activity, as tolerated, is beneficial for COPD patients. Option D is also incorrect because changing oxygen flow rate without healthcare provider guidance can be dangerous.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Severe chest pain is the hallmark symptom of an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) and requires immediate intervention to prevent further damage to the heart muscle. Chest pain in this context is often described as crushing, pressure, tightness, or heaviness. It can radiate to the arms, neck, jaw, back, or upper abdomen. Other symptoms like dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, and vomiting may also occur in acute myocardial infarction, but chest pain is the most critical sign requiring prompt action as it signifies inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle. Shortness of breath may indicate heart failure, while nausea and vomiting can be associated with the sympathetic response to myocardial infarction. Dizziness could result from decreased cardiac output but is not as specific to myocardial infarction as severe chest pain.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'I should use my rescue inhaler when I start to experience wheezing.' A rescue inhaler is used during the onset of asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, to quickly open the airways. It is not intended for routine daily use or prevention, which is the role of a maintenance inhaler. Option A is incorrect because a rescue inhaler is not used for prevention but for immediate relief during an asthma attack. Option C is incorrect because the peak flow meter reading is used to monitor asthma control, not to determine when to use a rescue inhaler. Option D is incorrect because using a rescue inhaler only before going to bed does not address the need for immediate relief when wheezing or experiencing asthma symptoms.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to monitor the client's heart rate. Digoxin slows the heart rate, so it is crucial to assess the heart rate before administering the medication. If the heart rate is below 60 beats per minute, the dose should be held, and the healthcare provider should be notified. Checking the blood pressure (Choice A) is important but not as crucial as monitoring the heart rate in this case. Assessing the respiratory rate (Choice C) is not directly related to the action of digoxin. Reviewing the client's potassium level (Choice D) is important for clients taking digoxin due to the risk of hypokalemia, but assessing the heart rate takes priority.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Administering a bronchodilator is the priority intervention to open the airways and relieve wheezing and shortness of breath. Bronchodilators work quickly to dilate the airways, making it easier for the client to breathe. Checking oxygen saturation is important but can be done after initiating bronchodilator therapy. Encouraging pursed-lip breathing and elevating the head of the bed can help improve breathing patterns but should follow the administration of the bronchodilator.