Fundamentals of Nursing Q 304
Which client statement informs the nurse that his teaching about the proper use of an incentive spirometer was effective?
A. "I should breathe out as fast and as hard as possible into the device."
B. "I should inhale slowly and steadily to keep the balls up."
C. "I should use the device three times a day, after meals."
D. "The entire device should be washed thoroughly in sudsy water once a week."
Correct Answer: B. “I should inhale slowly and steadily to keep the balls up.”
Proper use of an SMI requires the client to take slow, steady inhalations, every hour or two, 5 to 10 reps each time. Spirometry is one of the most readily available and useful tests for pulmonary function. It measures the volume of air exhaled at specific time points during complete exhalation by force, which is preceded by a maximal inhalation. The most important variables reported include total exhaled volume, known as the forced vital capacity (FVC), the volume exhaled in the first second, known as the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and their ratio (FEV1/FVC).
Option A: The patient must breathe in as much air as they can with a pause lasting for less than 1s at the total lung capacity. The mouthpiece is placed just inside the mouth between the teeth, soon after the deep inhalation. The lips should be sealed tightly around the mouthpiece to prevent air leakage. Exhalation should last at least 6 seconds, or as long as advised by the instructor. If only the forced expiratory volume is to be measured, the patient must insert the mouthpiece after performing step 1 and must not breathe from the tube.
Option C: The procedure is repeated in intervals separated by 1 minute until two matching, and acceptable results are acquired. Spirometry has proved to be a crucial tool in diagnosing lung disease, monitoring patients for their pulmonary function, and assessing their fitness for various procedures.
Option D: Only the mouthpiece can be successfully rinsed or wiped clean. The device should not be submerged in water. Spirometry is an apparatus used to assess pulmonary function for diagnostic or monitoring purposes. The procedure must be explained thoroughly to the subject patient by competent personnel who underwent training under supervision by a specialist mentor and will undergo periodic retraining in order to ensure that the results obtained are as accurate as possible and the complications are kept to a minimum.