The acronym CPAP refers to?

NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017

Medical Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017

Explanation

CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.
It is a form of non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation (NPPV) that delivers a single, continuous level of pressure to the airway.
The primary function is to act as a pneumatic splint, keeping the upper airway open to prevent collapse, especially during sleep.
It is the standard treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and is also used in other conditions like acute pulmonary edema.

Option B: The word 'potential' is incorrect. The therapy provides actual, not potential, pressure.
Option C: While the machine uses 'air', the pressure is specifically applied to the patient's 'airway'. 'Airway' is the more precise and correct medical term in this context.
Option D: The word 'potential' is incorrect. The therapy provides a continuous positive pressure, not a potential one.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Full form and application of CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a crucial role in initiating and managing CPAP therapy, including patient education, ensuring proper mask fit to prevent pressure sores, and monitoring for therapeutic effectiveness and side effects.
Patient adherence is a major challenge with CPAP. Nurses can improve adherence by addressing patient concerns, troubleshooting mask leaks or discomfort, and explaining the long-term health benefits of consistent use, such as reduced risk of hypertension and cardiovascular events.
What if? If a patient on CPAP complains of a very dry nose and throat, the nurse should first check if the humidifier is functioning correctly and has water. If so, the temperature setting on the heated humidifier may need to be increased to provide more moisture.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is to define the acronym 'CPAP'. This is a factual recall question.
Read all the options carefully. Notice that they are very similar, using combinations of 'Continuous', 'Positive', 'Airway', 'Air', 'Pressure', and 'Potential'.
Focus on the key letters: C-P-A-P.
Eliminate options with incorrect words. The term 'potential' is not used in this context, which rules out options B and D.
Differentiate between the remaining options: 'airway pressure' vs. 'air pressure'. Recall that the therapy's purpose is to apply pressure to the patient's airway to keep it open. Therefore, 'airway pressure' is the more specific and correct term.
Select the option that fully and accurately represents the medical term: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Full form and application of CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)
Stem keywords: acronym, CPAP
Lead-in keywords: refers to
Negative lead-in flag: false

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