Patient CareQuestion 10 of 100
A patient with severe shortness of breath is brought to an exam room. Which position will most likely make breathing easier?
a.Trendelenburg with the head lower than the feet
b.Prone, lying face down
c.High Fowler's, sitting upright at about 80 to 90 degrees
d.Sims' position on the left side
Explanation
High Fowler's places the patient nearly upright, which lets gravity pull the abdominal organs down and allows fuller lung expansion, easing dyspnea. Trendelenburg and prone positioning push abdominal contents against the diaphragm and worsen breathing. Sims' is a side-lying position used mainly for rectal exams and enemas, not for respiratory distress.
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