A nurse is performing chest percussion on a client who has severe COPD. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A. Place a towel over the area to be percussed: A towel should be placed over the area to be percussed to protect the skin and to reduce discomfort. This is a standard procedure to ensure that the percussion is effective and comfortable for the client. B. Ask the client to take shallow, rapid breaths: Shallow, rapid breaths should be avoided during chest percussion. The client should take deep, slow breaths to help mobilize secretions and allow for effective lung expansion. Rapid breathing could increase respiratory distress. C. Percuss over each area for 10 min: Percussion should not be performed for 10 minutes over each area, it is done for 1-2 minutes over each lung field to help loosen mucus and improve drainage. Prolonged percussion could be harmful and unnecessary. D. Maintain client positioning for 45 min: Typically, positioning is maintained for short periods (usually 10-15 minutes) depending on the area being targeted for percussion. Prolonged positioning may lead to discomfort or other complications.