Final answer:
For a patient in respiratory acidosis, nursing interventions include increasing ventilation to lower blood CO2 levels, ensuring a patent airway, providing oxygen or ventilator support, and administration of bicarbonate after physician assessment. Additional care strategies involve respiratory optimization through positioning, breathing exercises, and adherence to long-term treatment plans for chronic conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nursing intervention that would be appropriate for a patient in respiratory acidosis in terms of respirations involves increasing the rate of ventilation to lower the carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the blood. This is because respiratory acidosis is characterized by excess CO2, leading to a reduction in blood pH. Nurses can directly impact this by ensuring that the patient has a patent airway and is provided with maximal respiratory support, which may include oxygen therapy, ventilator support, or the provision of a bicarbonate infusion if warranted, after the assessment and orders by a physician.
Particular attention should be given to optimizing the patient's respiratory function through positioning, encouraging deep breathing and coughing exercises, and possibly consulting respiratory therapy for more specialized interventions such as bronchodilator therapy. If the patient presents with a chronic condition that predisposes to respiratory acidosis, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), ensuring adherence to treatment plans and optimizing long-term oxygen therapy can be essential.