A patient presents with chest trauma from an MVA Upon ...

[skymedlock]

A patient presents with chest trauma from an MVA
 
  Upon assessment, the nurse documents that the patient is complaining of dyspnea, shortness of breath, tachypnea, and tracheal deviation to the right. In addition, the client's tongue is blue-gray. Based on the following data, what the nurse would expect to find?
 
  a. PaO2 of 88 and PCO2 of 55
  b. Absent breath sounds in all right lung fields
  c. Absent breath sounds in all left lung fields
  d. Diminished breath sounds in all fields

Question 2

A patient is admitted for palliative care for end-stage heart failure. The nurse's primary goal is
 
  a. to reverse heart failure with the use of diuretics.
  b. to increase activity tolerance.
  c. symptom management and relief of pain.
  d. to increase cardiac output related to alteration of contractility.

[ebonylittles]

Answer to Question 1

C
The clinical picture described is most consistent with left pneumothorax. This would cause the trachea to deviate to the right, away from the increasing pressure of the left. A pneumothorax this severe would completely collapse the right lung, thus causing absent breath sounds in that lung.

Answer to Question 2

C
The primary aim of palliative care is symptom management and the relief of suffering. Fundamental to all symptom management strategies for heart failure is the optimization of medications, according to current guidelines.

[skymedlock]

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