RN Exam Practice
Safety and Infection ControlQuestion 1589 of 2368

A nurse enters a client's room to begin a health history, and the client is having difficulty breathing. What should the nurse do?

  1. Complete the history as quickly as possible while the client rests
  2. Ask the family to answer all of the questions on the client's behalf
  3. Complete the demographic section first and then reassess the client later
  4. Defer the health history and obtain emergency assistance per agency policy
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Correct answer: Defer the health history and obtain emergency assistance per agency policy

Signs of distress such as difficulty breathing or chest pain mean the health history is delayed and emergency help is obtained.

Source: Nursing Skills, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Health History: Steps. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Safety and Infection Control"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026