CPAN Practice Exam – Comprehensive Guide for Exam Prep

Addressing difficulty breathing in a post-anesthesia patient is a critical nursing responsibility, and the appropriate response is to reposition the patient, provide supplemental oxygen, and notify the physician immediately. This approach is justified as follows:

Repositioning the patient can help alleviate respiratory distress by optimizing lung mechanics and improving airway patency. For instance, placing the patient in a semi-Fowler's position can facilitate breathing by promoting lung expansion and reducing pressure from abdominal contents if the patient is lying flat.

Providing supplemental oxygen is essential to ensure that the patient maintains adequate oxygen saturation levels, especially after anesthesia, which can affect respiratory function. Supplemental oxygen delivers additional oxygen to support the patient’s respiratory needs and can rapidly improve oxygenation.

Notifying the physician is crucial because difficulty breathing may indicate underlying complications such as airway obstruction, respiratory depression, or other anesthetic effects that require further medical evaluation and intervention. Keeping the physician informed allows for prompt assessment and helps guide further treatment before any potential deterioration occurs.

While waiting for the patient's breathing to stabilize may seem reasonable, it can delay necessary intervention in a situation that could quickly become critical. Similarly, calling for a respiratory therapist to evaluate might be useful but should not replace the immediate initiation of basic interventions. Administering sedatives is generally