Management of Dyspnea in End-of-Life Care
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A nurse is caring for a client who is at the end of life and is experiencing dyspnea. Which of the following actions should the nurse take? O Place the head of the client's bed flat. O Administer an opioid narcotic to the client. O Perform nasotracheal suctioning for the client. O Increase the heat in the client's room.
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In this nursing question, we are asked to identify the correct action for a nurse who is caring for a client at the end of life who is experiencing dyspnea, which means difficulty breathing.
End of Life Care: Managing Dyspnea
Let's evaluate each option based on hospice and palliative care standards to see which one provides the most comfort to the patient.
Option one suggests placing the head of the bed flat. This is actually counterproductive. For a patient with dyspnea, lying flat can make breathing harder due to gravity making it difficult for the diaphragm to expand. Elevating the head of the bed is the standard practice.
1. Place head of bed flat: Incorrect. (Increases work of breathing)
Option two suggests administering an opioid narcotic. While it might seem counterintuitive to some, opioids like morphine are the gold standard for treating dyspnea at the end of life. They help reduce the sensation of breathlessness and decrease the respiratory rate.
2. Administer an opioid narcotic: Potential Correct Answer
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