The nurse is providing care for a young adult client with an intracranial hemorrhage secondary to a closed head injury. During the assessment, the nurse notices that the client's respirations follow a cycle progressively increasing in depth, then progressively decreasing in depth, followed by a period of apnea. Which of the following appropriately describes this respiratory pattern?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The described respiratory pattern matches Cheyne-Stokes respirations, which are characterized by a cyclical pattern of increasing and decreasing breathing depth, followed by a period of apnea. This pattern is often seen in conditions affecting the brain, such as intracranial hemorrhage.

The Nurse Is Providing Care for a Young Adult Client