A Patient Is Extubated and Placed on a Cool,bland Aerosol

question 15

Multiple Choice

A patient is extubated and placed on a cool,bland aerosol with 30% oxygen.Twenty minutes postextubation,the respiratory therapist is called to assess the patient,who has shortness of breath.The respiratory therapist observes intercostal retractions,accessory muscle use,and a respiratory rate of 38 breaths/min.Stridor can be heard without a stethoscope,and the SpO₂ has dropped from 97% to 85%.The patient is given an aerosolized racemic epinephrine treatment and reassessed.Accessory muscle use continues,intercostal retractions decrease slightly,and stridor is heard on auscultation.The patient's respiratory rate is 30 breaths/min,and the SpO₂ is 88%.What should the respiratory therapist recommend?

• A) Reintubation and mechanical ventilation
• B) Heliox therapy and steroid administration
• C) Increase the F_IO₂ on the cool bland aerosol to 40%
• D) Use a nonrebreather mask with 15 L/min oxygen

---

Definitions:

Cyanobacteria

Photosynthetic, oxygen-producing bacteria.

Spirochetes

Group of small bacteria shaped like a stretched-out spring.

DNA Nucleotides

The building blocks of DNA, consisting of a phosphate group, a sugar (deoxyribose), and a nitrogenous base.

Plasma Membrane Components

Constituents of the cell's outer layer, including lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates, regulating entry and exit of substances.