Health Promotion and MaintenanceQuestion 1481 of 2368
A client who smokes has frequent respiratory infections. Which explanation should the nurse give?
- Smoking removes the normal flora that protect the stomach and intestines
- Smoking permanently lowers the number of memory B cells stored in lymph nodes
- Smoking makes the mucus in the airways more acidic so microbes can grow
- Smoking damages the mucociliary escalator that clears microbes from airways
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Correct answer: Smoking damages the mucociliary escalator that clears microbes from airways
Cilia move trapped debris and microbes out of the airway. Smoking disrupts this and raises infection risk.
Source: Nursing Fundamentals, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2024), Infection: Planning Interventions. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Health Promotion and Maintenance"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026