188k views
3 votes
A nurse is assessing a client who is in the end stage of life. The client is unconscious and has a ""death rattle."" Which of the following medications should the nurse plan to administer to the client?

A) Antibiotics
B) Bronchodilators
C) Antipyretics
D) Anticholinergics

User Berkes
by
7.1k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

A nurse should administer anticholinergic medications to a client with a death rattle, as they can help reduce respiratory secretions and alleviate the symptom.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse assessing a client with a death rattle who is in the end stage of life should plan to administer anticholinergic medications. The death rattle is a common symptom in the dying process, characterized by a specific type of breathing sound due to the accumulation of secretions in the throat and respiratory tract. Anticholinergics such as atropine can help reduce these secretions by blocking the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, thus potentially providing some relief from the death rattle. Medications like Penicillin and benzodiazepines may be useful in treating infections or providing muscle relaxation and anti-anxiety effects in other circumstances, but they are not used for managing a death rattle.

User TaylorAllred
by
7.6k points