Question

A client with no prior history of respiratory illness has been admitted to a postoperative unit following foot surgery. What intervention should the nurse prioritize in an effort to prevent postoperative pneumonia and atelectasis during this time of reduced mobility following surgery?

a. Administering analgesics
b. Encouraging deep breathing and coughing exercises
c. Ambulating the client frequently
d. Providing a low-fat diet

Answer 1

To prevent postoperative pneumonia and atelectasis, a nurse should prioritize encouraging deep breathing and coughing exercises in post-surgical patients with reduced mobility.

Step-by-step explanation:

The intervention that should be prioritized by the nurse to prevent postoperative pneumonia and atelectasis in a patient with reduced mobility following surgery is encouraging deep breathing and coughing exercises. These exercises help clear the respiratory passages and enhance lung capacity, thus preventing the accumulation of secretions that can lead to pneumonia and the collapse of the lung alveoli (atelectasis). Ensuring that patients engage in these preventative strategies is crucial for their recovery, especially when their mobility is compromised, and the muscles necessary for breathing might not yet be fully functional post-anesthesia.

Analgesics are important for pain management but do not directly contribute to preventing respiratory complications. Ambulating the client frequently is beneficial to overall recovery and prevention of other postoperative complications, but may not be immediately applicable for patients with lower extremity surgeries. A low-fat diet can contribute to better health but is not directly related to respiratory function postoperatively.