Question

A nurse is caring for a group of clients. Which of the following clients should the nurse identify as being at risk for developing respiratory acidosis?

-fever
-abdominal ascites
-anxious
-nasogastric suctioning

Answer 1

The client with abdominal ascites is at risk for developing respiratory acidosis since the condition can impair lung expansion and CO2 elimination, thereby increasing blood acidity.

Step-by-step explanation:

Which Client is at Risk for Developing Respiratory Acidosis?

The nurse should identify the client with abdominal ascites as being at risk for developing respiratory acidosis. Abdominal ascites can lead to increased pressure on the diaphragm and decreased lung expansion, which impairs the elimination of CO2 from the body. An accumulation of CO2 causes the blood to become more acidic, leading to respiratory acidosis. Other conditions that can lead to respiratory acidosis include pneumonia, emphysema, or drug-induced hypoventilation. It is the impaired respiratory function and the resulting hypercapnia (excess CO2 in the blood) that are direct contributors to this condition.

Fever can lead to respiratory alkalosis due to an increased rate of breathing, anxiety may cause hyperventilation that also leads to respiratory alkalosis, and nasogastric suctioning is more influential on metabolic balances rather than respiratory directly.