Final answer:
The client is experiencing Cheyne-Stokes respirations, which features rapid deep breaths that become shallow and alternate with periods of apnea. This pattern is a result of respiratory control by the brain's medulla oblongata responding to changes in blood gas levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse should document that the client is experiencing Cheyne-Stokes respirations. This breathing pattern is characterized by rhythmic fluctuations of rapid deep respirations followed by rapid shallow respirations and then alternating with periods of apnea, often seen in cases of critical illness or neurologic injury. The respiratory cycle is controlled by the respiratory center within the medulla oblongata, influenced by fluctuations in carbon dioxide, oxygen, and pH levels in the blood.
For clarification: a) external respiration refers to the exchange of gases between the atmosphere and the blood, b) interpulmonary respiration is another term for external respiration, c) internal respiration refers to the exchange of gases between the blood and the body cells, and d) pulmonary ventilation is the process of moving air in and out of the lungs during breathing.