Question

The nurse has been teaching a client how to use an incentive spirometer that must be used at home for several days after discharge. Which client action indicates an accurate understanding of the technique?

Answer 1

Accurate understanding of using an incentive spirometer involves taking a deep breath to raise the indicator, holding the breath, and exhaling slowly. Spirometry tests, measuring lung volumes, can diagnose and monitor obstructive or restrictive lung diseases.

Step-by-step explanation:

A client who has learned how to use an incentive spirometer accurately typically demonstrates this by taking a slow, deep breath to raise the indicator, holding their breath for as long as recommended (usually a few seconds), and then exhaling slowly. This process helps keep the lungs clear and is crucial after surgery to prevent pneumonia and other respiratory complications. Spirometers are valuable tools in both therapeutic practices, like the use mentioned above, and in diagnostic medicine.

Spirometry test results are a key component in diagnosing respiratory diseases as they measure lung volumes and capacities, which can indicate the presence of obstructive or restrictive lung diseases. For instance, in obstructive diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the rate of air expelled from the lungs is reduced. On the other hand, restrictive diseases, which can involve reduced lung volumes, make it hard to take air into the lungs. Both types of conditions can be monitored using spirometry to assess the effectiveness of treatments.