Question

The nurse enters a patient's room and finds the patient lying supine and complaining of shortness of breath. Which action should the nurse perform first?

1) Raise the head of the bed to 45 degrees.
2) Take his oxygen saturation with a pulse oximeter.
3) Take his blood pressure and respiratory rate.
4) Notify the health care provider of his shortness of breath.

Answer 1

The nurse should first take the patient's oxygen saturation with a pulse oximeter.Hence, option 2 is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should first take the patient's oxygen saturation with a pulse oximeter. This will provide immediate information about the patient's blood oxygen levels and help the nurse determine the severity of the shortness of breath. Based on the results, the nurse can then take appropriate actions such as raising the head of the bed to improve ventilation, taking vital signs, or notifying the healthcare provider.