When auscultating a patient, the nurse notes decreased vesicular breath sounds. This is an indication of:

Which nursing diagnostic category would be appropriate for a patient with COPD?

A 69-year-old man is admitted to the ED with difficulty breathing. He has a 50-pack-year history of smoking. Upon examination, the nurse notes the patient’s reliance on accessory muscles for breathing and his barrel chest. Which history finding is the most significant factor contributing to this patient’s condition?

Acute respiratory failure in a patient with essentially normal lung tissue usually is indicated by:

The nurse assesses a patient at risk for respiratory failure. All of the following are early signs of respiratory failure except:

Which term best describes the condition of a patient with the above medical history and evidence of alveolar destruction?

The nurse knows that cor pulmonale is a complication of COPD secondary to:

The nurse would suspect dyspnea in a patient with a stab wound in the left upper abdominal quadrant to result from:

Chronic cough is common in COPD. When planning the discharge instructions for a patient with COPD, the nurse should remember to advise the patient to avoid:

The nurse would anticipate initial emergency treatment for a patient with mild to moderate respiratory distress secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to include: