Final answer:
The purpose of placing a child with respiratory difficulties in a mist tent is to provide moisture to the mucous membranes, helping to loosen and thin mucus for easier breathing. It is not primarily used for oxygen delivery, liquefying secretions, or hydration purposes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a child with respiratory difficulties is placed in a mist tent, the nurse explains that the purpose of the tent is to provide moisture to the mucous membranes.
This approach helps by loosening and thinning mucus in the respiratory system, which allows for easier breathing. The mist tent is not primarily for providing a constant oxygen supply, liquefying respiratory secretions directly, or improving the infant's hydration, but it does serve to maintain moist conditions that safeguard against the potential damage of dry air to the lungs and to facilitate mucociliary clearance.
In the context of respiratory system infections, such as bronchitis, inhaling moist air can be particularly beneficial.
Additionally, medical advances like the introduction of pulmonary surfactant therapy have greatly reduced the mortality rate associated with Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome (IRDS), highlighting the importance of proper moisture levels in therapeutic settings.