Question

A client receiving mechanical ventilation has a pH of 7.26, PaCO2 of 68 mm Hg, and a PaO2 of 92 mm Hg. Which intervention should the nurse implement?

a) Increase rate of ventilation
b) Decrease rate of ventilation
c) Administer pain medication
d) Perform a chest X-ray

Answer 1

The patient is experiencing respiratory acidosis due to elevated PaCO2 levels. The appropriate nursing intervention is to increase the rate of mechanical ventilation to help remove excess CO2 from the body.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the interpretation of blood gas results in a client receiving mechanical ventilation. The patient's pH is 7.26, which is below the normal range (7.35-7.45), indicating acidosis. The PaCO2 is elevated at 68 mm Hg, which is above the normal range (35-45 mm Hg), suggesting that the acidosis is of respiratory origin. Given that the PaO2 is within an acceptable range, this suggests that the primary issue is the retention of CO2, which is a respiratory acid.

The appropriate intervention would be to increase the rate of ventilation (answer a) to allow for more CO2 to be exhaled and correct the respiratory acidosis.