Question

Arterial blood gas (ABG) results Indicate that a client with respiratory faiture who is being mechanically ventilated has respiratory acidosis. The ventilator rate is set at 6 breaths/minute, pressure support at 10 cm H20, and oxygen concentration at 30%. Which action should the nurse implement to help correct the client's acidosis?

a. Increase in the ventilator rate.
b. Provide manual resuscitation.
c. Decrease the pressure support.
d. Increase oxygen concentration.

Answer 1

To correct respiratory acidosis in a mechanically ventilated patient, the most effective action is to increase the ventilator rate, allowing more CO₂ to be expelled and improving blood pH.

Step-by-step explanation:

The issue of respiratory acidosis in the scenario mentioned indicates an excess of CO₂ in the blood, suggesting inadequate ventilation. To help correct the client's acidosis, the most appropriate action would be to increase the ventilator rate. By increasing the rate at which the ventilator delivers breaths per minute, more CO₂ can be expelled from the lungs, which helps to reduce the CO₂ levels in the blood and move the pH back towards normal.

Other options, such as increasing the oxygen concentration, will not correct the underlying problem of excess CO₂ and thus will not resolve respiratory acidosis. In contrast, manual resuscitation is a temporary measure and does not provide a sustainable solution when a ventilator is already in use. Decreasing the pressure support would reduce the volume of air provided per breath, which could potentially worsen the acidosis by reducing the elimination of CO₂.