Case Study 2 (Dyspnea and Shortness of Breath) - Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment 100% Verified 2023

Mr. W is an 83-year-old man who was brought to the hospital from a long-term care facility by emergency medical services after reporting severe dyspnea and shortness of breath. He has been experiencing coldlike symptoms for the past 2 days. He has a productive cough with thick yellowish sputum. When Mr. W awoke in the nursing home, it was found that he was having difficulty breathing even after using his albuterol metered-dose inhaler (MDI). He appears very anxious and is in respiratory distress. His history includes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) related to smoking 2 packs of cigarettes per day since he was 15 years old; he quit smoking 2 years ago when he was admitted to the long-term facility. Mr. W has been incontinent of urine and stool for the past 2 years. In the emergency department, Mr. W undergoes chest radiography, and admission laboratory tests are performed, including serum electrolyte levels and a complete blood count. A sputum sample is sent to the laboratory for culture and sensitivity testing and Gram staining. Mr. W's *vital sign values* are as follows: -Blood pressure: 154/92 mm Hg -Heart rate: 118 beats/min -O2 saturation: 88% on 1 L/min oxygen by nasal cannula -Respiratory rate: 38 breaths/min -Temperature: 100.9° F (38.3° C) (oral) - ANSWhich *priority* actions will the nurse take when the patient is initially admitted to the emergency department (ED)? *Select all that apply.* •Place the patient on a cardiac monitor •Get a baseline set of vital signs •Draw admission labs and place a saline lock •Change the patient's adult pad •Send the patient for a chest x-ray •Order the patient a lunch tray - ANS-•Place the patient on a cardiac monitor •Get a baseline set of vital signs •Draw admission labs and place a saline lock •Send the patient for a chest x-ray •Baseline data that are essential to decisions for the care of this patient take priority at this time including vital signs, cardiac rhythm, lab values, and chest x-ray findings. Placement of a saline lock is essential for administration of fluids and emergency drugs. Changing the patient's incontinence pad is important to protect his skin but is not urgent. Ordering a lunch tray may be premature because the interventions for this patient's care are undecided when he is first admitted to the ED. What is the *priority* nursing concern for this patient?...