You are caring for a client with right-sided heart failure. When assessing the respiratory rate of this client, what is an indication that the client is having difficulty breathing?
A) Not using the abdominal muscles during breathing
B) Using accessory muscles during respiration
C) Barely palpable, thready pulse volume
D) Combination of noisy and quiet respiration

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using accessory muscles during respiration is an indication that the client is having difficulty breathing. In right-sided heart failure, fluid builds up in the lungs, making it harder for the client to breathe. Using accessory muscles to compensate means the respiratory muscles are working harder to breathe, which can indicate difficulty.

You Are Caring for a Client with Right-Sided Heart Failure