The patient's family states that their 16-year-old daughter has a history of asthma and has been complaining of shortness of breath for the past two days. She has been taking her metered-dose inhaler with some relief, but this morning, they found her lethargic and struggling to breathe. Your assessment reveals her to be responsive to verbal stimuli with an open airway and shallow respirations of 44 per minute. You hear minimal wheezing to both lungs. Your immediate action in caring for this patient is to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Given the patient's condition—lethargy, struggle to breathe, shallow respirations at a high rate, and minimal wheezing despite asthma—the immediate action should be to start positive pressure ventilation. This intervention is crucial for improving ventilation and oxygenation in a patient showing signs of severe respiratory distress and potential failure.

The Patient's Family States That Their 16-Year-Old Daughter Has a History