Fundamentals of Nursing Q 341
Nurse Aleli is planning to perform percussion and postural drainage. Which is an important aspect of planning the clients’ care?
A. Percussion and postural drainage should be done before lunch.
B. The order should be coughing, percussion, positioning, and then suctioning.
C. A good time to perform percussion and postural drainage is in the morning after breakfast when the client is well rested.
D. Percussion and postural drainage should always be preceded by three minutes of 100% oxygen.
Correct Answer: A. Percussion and postural drainage should be done before lunch.
Postural drainage results in expectoration of large amounts of mucus. Clients sometimes ingest part of the secretions. The secretions may also produce an unpleasant taste in the oral cavity, which could result in nausea/vomiting. This procedure should be done on an empty stomach to decrease client discomfort.
Option B: PD & P involves a combination of techniques, including multiple positions to drain the lungs, percussion, vibration, deep breathing and coughing. When the person with CF is in one of the positions, the caregiver can clap on the person’s chest wall. This is usually done for three to five minutes and is sometimes followed by vibration over the same area for approximately 15 seconds (or during five exhalations). The person is then encouraged to cough or huff forcefully to get the mucus out of the lungs.
Option C: Generally, each treatment session can last for 20 to 40 minutes. PD & P is best done before meals or one and a half to two hours after eating, to decrease the chance of vomiting. Early morning and bedtimes are usually recommended. The length of PD & P and the number of times of day it is done may need to be increased if the person is more congested or getting sick.
Option D: When the person with CF is in one of the positions, the caregiver can clap on the person’s chest wall. This is usually done for three to five minutes and is sometimes followed by vibration over the same area for approximately 15 seconds (or during five exhalations). The person is then encouraged to cough or huff forcefully to get the mucus out of the lungs.