Question

The chest x-ray for a client who is admitted for pneumonia shows pleural effusion with decreased air flow in the entire left upper lobe. What breath sounds should the nurse document after auscultation of the left upper lobe to verify the x-ray findings?

1) Crackles
2) Wheezes
3) Rhonchi
4) Absent breath sounds

Answer 1

For a client with pneumonia and pleural effusion in the left upper lobe, a nurse should document 'absent breath sounds' after auscultating that region to verify the chest x-ray findings.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a chest x-ray for a client admitted for pneumonia shows pleural effusion and decreased air flow in the entire left upper lobe, the breath sounds that a nurse should document after auscultating the left upper lobe to verify the x-ray findings are absent breath sounds. Pleural effusion can cause compression of the lung tissue, leading to a lack of airflow and no breath sounds in the affected area. Auscultation may reveal no breath sounds when the lung does not inflate properly due to fluid accumulation or lung consolidation, which are characteristic of pneumonia with pleural effusion.