Care Manager Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following interventions is essential when caring for a client with potential airway obstruction?

1. Encourage deep breathing exercises.

2. Administer bronchodilators.

3. Maintain the airway.

4. Perform a chest X-ray.

The correct answer is: Maintain the airway.

Maintaining the airway is crucial when caring for a client with potential airway obstruction because the airway is the pathway through which air enters and exits the lungs. If the airway is obstructed, it can lead to serious consequences, including hypoxia and respiratory failure. Therefore, ensuring that the airway remains open is the top priority in such scenarios. While encouraging deep breathing exercises, administering bronchodilators, and performing a chest X-ray may be beneficial in various contexts, they serve as secondary interventions rather than the primary action. For instance, deep breathing exercises can help improve lung expansion but do not directly address an obstruction. Bronchodilators may relieve constricted airways but are ineffective if there is a complete blockage. Similarly, a chest X-ray is a diagnostic tool that can provide information about the lungs and airways, but it does not resolve the obstruction. In emergencies, the immediate focus must be on securing the airway to allow for adequate oxygenation and ventilation.