Question

A nurse is caring for a client with left ventricular heart failure with an ejection fraction (EF) of 40. Which of the following findings would the nurse expect to assess in this client?

1) Use of accessory muscles
2) Crackles in the lungs
3) Distended jugular veins
4) Confusion and restlessness

Answer 1

Nurses expect to find crackles in the lungs, distended jugular veins, and symptoms of confusion and restlessness in patients with left ventricular heart failure and an EF of 40, signaling pulmonary edema and decreased cardiac output.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse caring for a client with left ventricular heart failure and an ejection fraction (EF) of 40 would expect to assess various clinical signs that reflect this condition. In this case, the expected findings include:

• Crackles in the lungs due to pulmonary edema resulting from fluids getting "backed up" causing excessive leakage of water into lung tissues.
• Distended jugular veins as a result of increased central venous pressure, usually due to the heart's decreased ability to pump blood effectively.
• Confusion and restlessness, which can be symptoms of decreased cerebral perfusion due to low cardiac output.

The use of accessory muscles may be seen in cases of respiratory distress, but it is not as specific to left ventricular heart failure as the other options provided.