A patient with acute shortness of breath is admitted to the hospital. Which action should the nurse take during the initial assessment of the patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a patient has severe respiratory distress,only information pertinent to the current episode is obtained,and a more thorough assessment is deferred until later. Obtaining a comprehensive health history or full physical examination is unnecessary until the acute distress has resolved. Brief questioning and a focused physical assessment should be done rapidly to help determine the cause of the distress and suggest treatment. Checking for allergies is important,but it is not appropriate to complete the entire admission database at this time. The initial respiratory assessment must be completed before any diagnostic tests or interventions can be ordered.

A Patient with Acute Shortness of Breath Is Admitted to the Hospital