Final answer:
The best position for a client with severe heart failure is likely the High Fowler's position with pillows under their arms. This position maximizes chest expansion, eases breathing, and decreases the heart's workload.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best position to place a client with severe heart failure is often High Fowler's position, with the patient seated at a 90-degree angle, or as upright as possible. This position helps to decrease the workload on the heart and improve breathing by allowing the abdominal organs to descend, thereby giving the diaphragm and lungs more room to expand. It is not usually recommended to elevate the legs, as this can increase the return of venous blood to the heart, adding to its workload.
Therefore, the most appropriate position for a client with severe heart failure, from the given options, is likely a. High Fowler's, pillows under arms. This allows for maximal chest expansion and can also aid in relieving shortness of breath or orthopnea (difficulty breathing when lying down). Although option 'd. Semi-Fowler's, on the left side' could be beneficial for some patients, it does not provide the same degree of symptomatic relief as High Fowler's position.