Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 89%
Full-length
The nurse responds to the call light of a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who says, 'I can't breathe.' The client seems to be having difficulty breathing and is nervous and tremulous. Vital signs are stable, oxygen saturation is 92% on 2 L, and there are clear breath sounds bilaterally. Which intervention would be most appropriate at this time?
Correct answer
C
Rationale
For a COPD client with anxiety-driven dyspnea, stable vitals, and clear lungs, coaching controlled breathing helps reduce anxiety and improve breathing patterns. Albuterol is for bronchospasm, trigger identification is secondary, and monitoring is insufficient alone.