Final answer:
The appropriate nursing response to a patient with thick and copious oral secretions would likely be oropharyngeal suctioning to clear the secretions. If secretions are lower in the respiratory tract, nasotracheal suctioning may be needed. Additionally, a sputum sample would help diagnose potential infections.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a patient has clear oral secretions that are extremely copious and thick, the appropriate response by the nurse would depend on the patient's ability to clear secretions spontaneously and the cause of the secretions. For secretions that cannot be cleared by the patient's own efforts, such as coughing or swallowing, oropharyngeal suctioning (A) might be considered. This procedure can help to clear secretions from the mouth and throat if the patient is unable to do so because of a decreased level of consciousness or ineffective cough.
If the patient's condition suggests that the secretions are originating from lower in the respiratory tract, for example from the trachea or the bronchial passages, and if the patient requires suctioning below the level of the vocal cords, then nasotracheal suctioning (C) might be appropriate to clear the secretions.
Obtaining a sputum specimen for culture and sensitivity (D) might be necessary if there is suspicion of a respiratory infection, as this can help identify the causative organisms and determine the appropriate antibiotics for treatment. This would align with the clinical examples where sputum samples are collected for microbiological evaluation as part of the diagnostic process for respiratory conditions like pneumonia or to rule out infections such as influenza.