Question

A nurse is assessing a client who has COPD. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

a) Weight gain.

b) Decrease in anteroposterior diameter of the chest.

c) HCO₃⁻ 24 mEq/L.

d) pH 7.3.

Answer 1

A nurse should expect to find respiratory acidosis in a client with COPD, which would be indicated by a pH of 7.3. This aligns with the compensation mechanisms for the retained CO2 that characterizes COPD.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse assessing a client who has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) would expect to see a number of specific clinical features due to the client's condition. COPD can lead to an accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood, causing respiratory acidosis. The question relates to this aspect of COPD.

The findings a nurse would expect for a client with COPD include:

• Weight loss, not weight gain, due to increased metabolic demand and difficulty eating.
• An increased anteroposterior diameter of the chest, often referred to as 'barrel chest,' due to hyperinflation of the lungs.
• The expected HCO₃⁻ level would typically be higher than 24 mEq/L as a compensatory mechanism.
• A pH of 7.3 indicates acidemia, which aligns with respiratory acidosis often seen in COPD due to retained CO₂.

Therefore, the correct finding a nurse should expect when assessing a client with COPD is a pH of 7.3 (Option d), which signifies respiratory acidosis common in advanced COPD.