A nurse is caring for a patient who has been admitted with an exacerbation of chronic bronchiectasis. The nurse should expect to assess the patient for which of the following clinical manifestations?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In a bronchiectasis exacerbation, copious sputum production is a primary clinical manifestation the nurse should expect, stemming from chronic bronchial dilation trapping purulent mucus. This hallmark often foul-smelling, voluminous (e.g., >30 mL/day) reflects recurrent infection and inflammation, driving symptoms like cough and dyspnea. Pain on inspiration suggests pleurisy or pneumothorax, not bronchiectasis's airway focus. Pigeon chest, a congenital deformity, isn't linked to this acquired condition. Dry cough contradicts bronchiectasis's wet, productive nature from mucus retention. The nurse's assessment quantifying sputum, noting color (e.g., green) informs care (e.g., drainage, antibiotics), aligning with bronchiectasis's pathophysiology and exacerbation management.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Diaphragmatic breathing, where the abdomen rises on inhalation, prevents atelectasis alveolar collapse post-surgery by fully inflating lungs. General anesthesia suppresses cough reflexes and reduces lung expansion, trapping mucus and risking atelectasis or pneumonia. This exercise, done every 2 hours, enhances ventilation, clearing airways. It minimally distracts from pain but doesn't manage it analgesics do. Healing time isn't directly shortened; oxygenation aids recovery indirectly. Thrombus prevention relies on leg exercises, not breathing, as venous stasis is circulatory. The nurse's encouragement reduces respiratory complications, ensuring oxygen saturation and lung function, a cornerstone of postoperative care per evidence-based practice.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Notifying the physician about the patient's lack of understanding is the best step, as informed consent explaining procedure, risks, and alternatives is the surgeon's legal and ethical duty. Without comprehension, surgery can't proceed validly. The nurse can reinforce but not initially explain the procedure, which exceeds their scope here. Asking the patient to sign without understanding violates consent principles. Continuing education delays resolution. This action ensures the physician clarifies, securing true consent and protecting patient autonomy, per surgical ethics and safety standards.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Measuring and recording all intake and output best monitors fluid/electrolyte balance in the PACU, assessing renal and circulatory function post-anesthesia. Precise data (e.g., IV fluids, urine output) detect imbalances like hypovolemia or overload, guiding therapy. Copious water risks nausea in early recovery. Weighing is impractical in PACU done later. An extra IV isn't routine without imbalance evidence. This action ensures timely correction, aligning with postoperative care to maintain stability.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Culture is the term for the unique norms, values, and behavioral attitudes that characterize a specific society, distinguishing it from others. 'Culture,' is correct because it encompasses these shared elements, as defined by anthropologists like Clifford Geertz, who view culture as a system of inherited conceptions expressed through behavior. 'Heredity,' refers to genetic inheritance, not societal traits. 'Generation,' denotes a cohort within a society, not its defining characteristics. 'Environment,' includes physical and social surroundings but lacks the specificity of norms and values tied to culture. Culture's role as the collective identity of a society, shaping how its members think and act, makes D the precise answer, supported by its prominence in sociological studies as the lens through which societal peculiarities are understood and transmitted across time.