The nurse is assessing the elderly client's respiratory system.Upon auscultation,rales are detected bilaterally in both lower lobes.Scattered rales are heard in the upper lung fields.These adventitious sounds do not clear with a cough.The nurse percusses the client's lung fields and determines the presence of dull sounds.The nurse would correctly suspect which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Bilateral rales in both lower lobes and scattered rales in the upper lung fields, along with dull sounds upon percussion, suggest the presence of pulmonary edema. This is likely caused by fluid accumulation in the lungs, which can be a complication of heart failure or other conditions that affect the heart's ability to pump blood effectively. The other options - emphysema, end-stage COPD, and pulmonary fibrosis - may also cause respiratory symptoms, but typically do not produce the same auscultatory findings as those seen in pulmonary edema.

The Nurse Is Assessing the Elderly Client's Respiratory System