The nurse is encouraging a reluctant postoperative patient to ...

[yoroshambo]

The nurse is encouraging a reluctant postoperative patient to deep breathe and cough. What explanation can the nurse provide that may encourage the patient to cough more effectively?
 
  a. If you don't deep breathe and cough, you will get pneumonia.
  b. Deep breathing and coughing will clear out the anesthesia.
  c. Coughing will not harm the incision if done correctly.
  d. You will need to cough only a few times during this shift.

Question 2

The nurse is developing a PICO question related to whether her patient's blood pressure is more accurate while measuring with the patient's legs crossed versus with the patient's feet flat on the floor.
 
  With P being the population of interest, I the intervention of interest, C the comparison of interest, and O the outcome, the nurse determines that this is a. A true PICO question, because the outcome always comes before the intervention.
  b. A true PICO question regardless of placement of elements.
  c. Not a true PICO question, because the comparison comes after the intervention.
  d. Not a true PICO question, because the outcome comes after the population.

[ally]

Answer to Question 1

C
If coughing is done correctly with proper support of the incision, it will not harm the incision. Deep breathing and coughing help to clear out mucus in the respiratory system that has been caused by the anesthesia. Although it is correct that a patient may experience atelectasis and pneumonia if deep breathing and coughing are not performed, the way this is worded sounds threatening and could be communicated in a more therapeutic manner. Deep breathing and coughing is encouraged every 2 hours while the patient is awake.

Answer to Question 2

B
Note that a well-designed PICO question does not have to follow the sequence of P, I, C, and O. The aim is to ask a question that contains as many of the PICO elements as possible.