When assessing a patient's lungs, what should the nurse recall about the left lung?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Is shorter than the right lung because of the underlying stomach: The right lung is actually shorter than the left lung due to the position of the liver beneath it, which pushes the right diaphragm higher. The left lung is longer but narrower due to the space occupied by the heart. B. Primarily consists of an upper lobe on the posterior chest: The left lung has both upper and lower lobes visible on the posterior chest. The lower lobe is larger and occupies most of the posterior lung field, while the upper lobe is primarily seen anteriorly and laterally. C. Is divided by the horizontal fissure: The horizontal fissure is found in the right lung, separating the upper and middle lobes. The left lung has only one fissure, the oblique fissure, which separates its two lobes. D. Consists of two lobes: The left lung is divided into an upper and lower lobe by the oblique fissure. Unlike the right lung, which has three lobes, the left lung has only two due to the space occupied by the heart, forming the cardiac notch.