Question

A nurse observes a patient sitting up in bed, leaning forward with the arms braced against the over-the-bed table. what action by the nurse is best?

Answer 1

The answer is: Asses the patient for a barrel-chest appearance
The patient is sitting in a tripod position often seen in patients with the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These patients also often have a barrel-chest appearance, so the nurse assesses for this finding.