A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is in acute respiratory failure and has been placed on mechanical ventilation. Four hours after mechanical ventilation is initiated, the patient's ABG results include a pH of 7.50, PaO₂ of 80 mm Hg, PaCO₂ of 29 mm Hg, and HCO₃- of 23 mEq/L (23 mmol/L). The nurse will anticipate the need to

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The patient's PaCO₂ and pH indicate respiratory alkalosis caused by too high a respiratory rate. The PaO₂ is appropriate for a patient with COPD, increasing the tidal volume would further lower the PaCO₂, and the PaCO₂ and pH indicate a need to make the ventilator changes.

A Patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Is in Acute