Question

Your patient has returned from surgery and has a history of smoking. The physician has orders for the use of incentive spirometry (IS) every 2 hours. The patient asks why he has to do IS so often. You teach your patient about the importance of breathing deeply, to clear any secretions and its prevention of pneumonia. This teaching is an example of:

a. A nursing diagnosis
b. An outcome statement
c. Implementation of a nursing intervention
d. The nursing process

Answer 1

Teaching a patient about using incentive spirometry for deep breathing post-surgery to prevent pneumonia is an example of a nursing intervention. Spirometry helps in both diagnosis and monitoring treatment efficacy for respiratory conditions by assessing lung function.

Step-by-step explanation:

Your teaching to the patient about the importance of using an incentive spirometer (IS) to prevent pneumonia is an example of c. Implementation of a nursing intervention. Through the use of IS, you are applying a direct care measure to help the patient improve their lung function after surgery, which is a key step in post-operative care, especially for patients with a history of smoking. Regular use of the spirometer helps the patient by encouraging deep breathing, which facilitates the clearing of secretions and can help prevent complications such as pneumonia.

Spirometry is a valuable tool in both the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases. A spirometer measures the volume and flow of air during inhalation and exhalation, providing important data that can signal declines in lung function. Conditions like reduction in lung capacity, cavitation, and abnormal distribution of materials in the lungs can all be potentially detected through spirometry test results.