RN Exam Practice
Basic Care and ComfortQuestion 110 of 2368

A client who is short of breath is lying flat in bed. Which action should the nurse take first?

  1. Place the client in a supine position with the knees flexed.
  2. Lower the head of the bed to rest the client's chest muscles.
  3. Place the client in a prone position.
  4. Raise the head of the bed to a high Fowler's position.
Show answer

Correct answer: Raise the head of the bed to a high Fowler's position.

High Fowler's position promotes chest expansion and diaphragmatic descent, and it decreases the work of breathing.

Source: Nursing Fundamentals, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2024), Oxygenation: Treating Hypoxia and Hypercapnia. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Basic Care and Comfort"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026