When administering oxygen to clients with conditions such as emphysema, it is important for the nurse to remember that for these clients the

A. Drive to breathe may be dependent on low levels of oxygen in the blood: Clients with emphysema may have chronically elevated CO₂ levels, which can blunt their central chemoreceptor response. As a result, their respiratory drive may rely more on peripheral chemoreceptors sensing low oxygen levels. B. Respiratory rate may be increased a great part of the time: While some clients with emphysema may exhibit tachypnea during exertion or exacerbations, this is not a consistent or defining characteristic across all situations. C. Lung stretch receptors may fail to monitor the patterns of breathing: Lung stretch receptors play a role in the Hering-Breuer reflex, but there is no evidence that they fail to function in emphysema. The issue in emphysema is gas trapping and reduced surface area for gas exchange, not receptor failure. D. Intercostal muscles contract during inspiration, but fail to relax during expiration: The intercostal muscles assist with ventilation, particularly during increased respiratory effort. However, their relaxation in expiration is typically passive and not impaired in emphysema.