The nurse is caring for a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)who has been in the hospital for several days.The patient complains of shortness of breath and asks the nurse to turn up his oxygen to compensate for his labored breathing.What is the best nursing response?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse should assess the patient for possible causes of the shortness of breath before calling the physician.The nurse may be able to implement nursing interventions,or may need to contact the physician for orders based on the assessment findings.Since the COPD patient's respiratory drive is lowering levels of PO₂,turning up the oxygen may take away his incentive to breathe.Asking the patient about his home oxygen is not helpful at this point.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient with Chronic Obstructive