When assessing a patient with an acute respiratory illness and a cough, which one of the following questions is the LEAST useful?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The color of a person's sputum is the least helpful of the listed questions to ask during the assessment of a person with a cough, because both acute viral infections (like colds or acute bronchitis-for which there are no effective antibiotic treatments) and acute bacterial infections can produce colorful (yellow, green, red, or grey) sputum. Fever may be helpful in suggesting a more serious infection than the type caused by the common cold. A history of tobacco abuse may direct health care providers to consider illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the need to treat patients with bronchodilators in addition to antitussives. Rib pain with deep breathing or coughing (pleuritic chest pain) may sometimes occur during serious respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary infarction, pleural effusion, or rib fractures, among others.

When Assessing a Patient with an Acute Respiratory Illness and a Cough