Final answer:
The nurse should assess the client's respiratory status and provide immediate interventions to improve breathing in a client with chronic heart failure experiencing breathlessness. This may involve helping the client assume a position that facilitates breathing, administering medications, and monitoring vital signs.
Step-by-step explanation:
As a home health nurse visiting a client with chronic heart failure who is experiencing breathlessness and coughing, the first action the nurse should take is to assess the client's respiratory status and provide immediate interventions to improve breathing. The nurse should prioritize the client's comfort and safety by helping them assume a position that facilitates breathing, such as sitting upright with legs dangling or leaning forward with arms supported on a table. This position helps to reduce pressure on the diaphragm and allows for better lung expansion.
The nurse may also administer prescribed medications to relieve symptoms such as bronchodilators to open up the airways or diuretics to reduce fluid overload that may be contributing to breathlessness. Oxygen therapy may be initiated if the client's oxygen saturation levels are low. It is important for the nurse to closely monitor the client's vital signs, oxygen saturation, and respiratory effort while providing reassurance and support.