Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN) Practice Exam

What intervention should be taken if there is no cervical injury and promoting good airflow?

1. Position the patient to sit forward

2. Maximize patient movement

3. Administer medication

4. Restrict fluid intake

The correct answer is: Position the patient to sit forward

Positioning the patient to sit forward promotes good airflow, which is crucial when assessing and managing respiratory issues. This position can help in expanding the chest wall and allowing gravity to assist in easing breathing difficulties. By leaning forward, patients can also engage accessory muscles of respiration more effectively, further facilitating airflow through the airways. In scenarios where airway patency and ventilation are priorities, positioning is often one of the simplest yet most effective interventions. It aids in reducing the work of breathing, especially in patients experiencing respiratory distress, and may enhance comfort and relaxation, which can further support effective ventilation. Other interventions, while potentially beneficial in different contexts, do not provide the immediate benefit of optimizing airflow as effectively as positioning does.