Question

A patient is being treated in the ED for respiratory distress, coupled with pneumonia. The patient has no past medical history. However, the patient works in a coal mine and smokes 10 cigarettes a day. The nurse anticipates which of the following orders based on immediate needs for the patient?

a) Completion of a 12-lead ECG
b) Administration of corticosteroids and bronchodilators
c) Administration of antibiotics
d) Patient education: avoidance of irritants like smoke and pollutants

Answer 1

The nurse should anticipate the administration of antibiotics for the patient in the ED who is experiencing respiratory distress coupled with pneumonia. Administering corticosteroids and bronchodilators may be appropriate for conditions such as asthma or COPD, but they are not typically the first-line treatment for pneumonia. Patient education on avoiding irritants like smoke and pollutants is important for long-term management of respiratory conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should anticipate the administration of antibiotics for the patient in the ED who is experiencing respiratory distress coupled with pneumonia. Pneumonia is an inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract, often caused by bacterial or viral infections. Antibiotics are commonly prescribed to treat pneumonia by targeting the underlying infection and reducing inflammation in the alveoli, the small air sacs in the lungs.

Administering corticosteroids and bronchodilators may be appropriate for conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but they are not typically the first-line treatment for pneumonia.

Patient education on avoiding irritants like smoke and pollutants is important for long-term management of respiratory conditions; however, in the immediate needs of the patient in the ED, administration of antibiotics is more urgent.