Question

The practical nurse (PN) is assisting the nurse with the admission physical assessment of a client diagnosed with pneumonia. What symptoms are the client likely to exhibit?

A.Bradycardia
B.Dyspnea
C.Painful Cough
D. Ankle edema
E. Lung Crackles

Answer 1

A client with pneumonia is likely to exhibit symptoms such as dyspnea, a painful cough, and lung crackles during a physical assessment. These symptoms are indicative of fluid in the lungs' alveoli, which impairs gas exchange.

Step-by-step explanation:

During a physical assessment of a client diagnosed with pneumonia, the client is likely to exhibit several clinical signs and symptoms indicative of the condition:

• Dyspnea: Difficulty breathing, which is a common symptom of pneumonia due to the alveoli in the lungs being filled with fluid, preventing efficient gas exchange.
• Lung crackles: Also known as rales, these abnormal lung sounds are heard during auscultation with a stethoscope and suggest the presence of fluid in the alveoli.
• Fever: While not listed in the initial options, fever is also a typical symptom of pneumonia.

The symptoms like bradycardia, ankle edema are less likely to be directly associated with pneumonia and are not among the common symptoms presented during the physical assessment of pneumonia.