A patient in severe respiratory distress is admitted to the medical unit at the hospital.During the admission assessment of the patient,what should the nurse do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a patient with severe respiratory distress, the priority is to assess the respiratory system and determine the cause and extent of the distress. Therefore, the nurse should perform a physical assessment of the respiratory system and ask specific questions related to this episode of respiratory distress. It is important to obtain a comprehensive health history and complete a full physical examination at a later time, but the immediate focus should be on the respiratory assessment. Asking family members about the patient's history of respiratory problems may be helpful, but it should not delay the physical assessment.

A Patient in Severe Respiratory Distress Is Admitted to the Medical