A patient is admitted to the telemetry unit with heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic atrial fibrillation. During the 8am assessment a heart rate of 142 beats per minute, a BP of 112/64 mmHg and a respiratory rate of 20 breaths per minute was noted.  Fine crackles were auscultated in the left lower base.  The SpO2 was 96% on 2 L/min of O2 via nasal cannula.  All of the following medications are due at 9am.  Which medication is the priority and should be given immediately?

The nurse has a patient with a palpable pulse, a heart rate of 160, and decreasing cardiovascular stability.  In preparation for cardioversion, the defibrillator unit is synchronized to fire on the QRS wave.  The nurse understands that this is done to prevent which of the following complications?

A patient admitted to the emergency department is unresponsive after successsful resucitation.  Initial laboratory findings are serum potassium 4.0 mEq/L, serum sodium 142 mEq/L, blood glucose of 210 mg/dL, and an elevated troponin level.  Cardiac monitoring shows multifocal premature ventricular contractions (PVC’s).  The nurse understands that the patient’s PVC’s are most likely caused by:

The physician orders an increase in positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) to 12cm in a patient on mechanical ventilation.  The nurse understands that this increases the risk of the patient developing:

Which assessment finding should the nurse anticipate in a newly intubated and mechanically ventilated patient ?

A patient with a permanent pacemaker shows pacemaker spikes without a QRS following each spike.  This implies that the patient is experiencing:

Your patient has COPD with 78% forced expiratory volume in 1 second. How would you classify the severity of this patient’s COPD?

A patient with a 35-pack year smoking history reports having a chronic cough. The patient is now noticing pink, frothy, blood tinged sputum on the tissue after coughing. The chest radiograph shows a possible nodule in the right upper lobe. What diagnostic test is indicated at this time?  

An adult patient with a history of asthma calls the clinic to report she is “blowing 60%” on her peak flow meter”. The FNP reviews the patient’s asthma action plan. What advise will the FNP provide to the patient?  

What are the three most common causes of a cough?