Exhibits Which should the nurse do immediately? Select all that apply.
Explanation & Rationale
A. Provide rescue breaths with a manual ventilation bag: The client’s respiratory rate is dangerously low (5 breaths/min), and oxygen saturation is critically low (54%), indicating respiratory failure. Immediate manual ventilation supports breathing and oxygenation until further interventions take effect. B. Print an electrocardiogram strip: While cardiac monitoring is important, printing an ECG strip is not the immediate priority in a client with severe respiratory depression and hypoxia. Life-saving respiratory interventions take precedence. C. Call for rapid response: The client’s altered mental status, respiratory depression, and hypoxia constitute a medical emergency. Activating the rapid response team ensures prompt multidisciplinary intervention. D. Give naloxone 2 mg intravenous push: Naloxone is an opioid antagonist and is essential to reverse morphine-induced respiratory depression. Administering naloxone promptly can restore respiratory function. E. Perform chest compressions: The client has a pulse (heart rate 92 beats/minute), so chest compressions are not indicated at this time. CPR is reserved for pulselessness or severe cardiac arrest. F. Apply oxygen via nasal cannula: Applying oxygen via a nasal cannula is insufficient for a client with a respiratory rate of 5 breaths/minute and an oxygen saturation of 54%. This client needs immediate ventilatory support and a higher concentration of oxygen