A nurse is caring for a patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and notices that the patient is using a CPAP machine. The nurse understands that CPAP is used to:

1. A

   Deliver positive pressure to keep the airways open

2. B

   Treat hypovolemic shock

3. C

   Provide oxygen to the patient during sleep

4. D

   Prevent pneumonia in COPD patients

Appeared in: NORCET 7 Prelims -2024

Explanation

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• CPAP delivers a continuous, preset level of positive air pressure throughout the entire respiratory cycle (both inhalation and exhalation).
• This constant pressure acts as a pneumatic (air) splint, stenting the airways open and preventing their collapse, particularly during expiration.
• In COPD, this helps to overcome expiratory airflow limitation, reduce the work of breathing, and improve alveolar ventilation and gas exchange.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option B: Hypovolemic shock is a circulatory failure due to severe fluid or blood loss and is treated with fluid resuscitation. CPAP is a respiratory therapy.
• Option C: The primary function of CPAP is to provide pressure, not oxygen. While oxygen can be added to the system, many patients use CPAP with room air.
• Option D: The primary goal of CPAP is airway patency. While preventing atelectasis (a risk factor for pneumonia) is a secondary benefit, CPAP is not a direct or primary intervention for pneumonia prevention.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Mechanism and Purpose of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
• Nurses must monitor for proper mask fit to ensure effective pressure delivery and prevent medical device-related pressure injuries on the nasal bridge or face.
• Patient education on the machine's purpose, mask application, and managing common side effects like dry mouth or claustrophobia is crucial for therapy adherence and success.
• What if? If the patient's respiratory status worsened with severe hypercapnia (high CO2) and respiratory acidosis, the provider might switch from CPAP to BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure). BiPAP provides a higher pressure on inspiration and a lower pressure on expiration, which more actively supports ventilation and helps blow off CO2.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the core subject of the question, which is the purpose of a CPAP machine.
• Recall the full name of the acronym: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. The name itself provides the biggest clue to its function.
• Analyze the options based on the keywords 'Continuous Positive Pressure'. Option A directly addresses the delivery of 'positive pressure' and its effect ('keep the airways open').
• Evaluate the other options by considering their underlying pathophysiology. Hypovolemic shock is a circulatory problem, not respiratory. Pneumonia is an infection. Oxygen delivery is a function of an oxygen source, not necessarily the pressure machine itself.
• By connecting the name of the device to its direct mechanical action, you can confidently select the option that describes maintaining airway patency through pressure.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Mechanism and Purpose of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
• Stem keywords: COPD, CPAP machine, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Lead-in keywords: used to
• Clinical cues: Patient with COPD
• Clinical cues: Using a CPAP machine

Question ID

QAj4Of-zuR_l1jTiC_QFXU

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 732-734

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 5 p. 2

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 668-670