Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 85%
Simulated
Passage / Scenario
History and PhysicalA 34-year-old male client presents to the emergency department (ED) for an asthma attack that began after jogging through a local park. The client is able to answer questions every few words to catch his breath. He reports using his rescue inhaler three times, but he couldn't catch his breath. He reports that his symptoms are worse when outdoors and when exercising, and episodes like this make him extremely nervous. He says that it has been a couple of months since his last asthma attack, and he came to the ED today because he noticed his inhaler was expired and was worried the medication was not working.
The nurse reviews the client's history of the presenting illness in the electronic medical record. Highlight the pieces of key subjective data which indicate the client is in need of health interventions.
Correct answer
A,B,C
Rationale
Key data: difficulty speaking, ineffective inhaler use, and expired inhaler indicate severe asthma requiring intervention.