Question

The nurse is completing a health history of a client who has an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Which should the nurse obtain?

1) Peripheral pulses
2) Current medications
3) Breath sounds
4) Percussion tone

Answer 1

3

Step-by-step explanation:

they need to listen to the sounds to to hear if its clear

Answer 2

In the case of a COPD exacerbation, the nurse should prioritize obtaining the client's current medications and listening to breath sounds to determine appropriate interventions.

Step-by-step explanation:

When assessing a client with an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the nurse should obtain information regarding the client's current medications and listen to breath sounds. While assessing peripheral pulses and percussion tone might be part of a comprehensive assessment, they are not as immediately pertinent to an exacerbation of COPD as medications and lung sounds.

Due to the nature of COPD involving the respiratory system, auscultation of breath sounds can reveal the presence of wheezing, crackles, or other abnormal lung sounds associated with the disease process. Knowing current medications is critical for managing the exacerbation and preventing potential drug interactions. Moreover, medications can indicate what treatments have been tried and how the disease has been managed thus far.