Question

A client who has been prescribed an inhaler points to the spacer and asks, "What is this for?" What is the appropriate nursing response?

a) "You will receive the medication faster as it goes through this device."
b) "Medication stays in the chamber so you can continue to inhale it."
c) "It makes the inhaler easier to hold in case you have arthritis."
d) "This is to decrease the amount of drug that you receive."

Answer 1

The spacer is for holding b) medication in a chamber so that a patient can inhale it more effectively, ensuring a better delivery of asthma medication to the lungs.

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate nursing response to the question: "What is this spacer for?" would be option b) "Medication stays in the chamber so you can continue to inhale it."

A spacer is a device used with an inhaler to help deliver asthma medication more effectively. When a patient uses an inhaler, the medication is released in a burst of spray.

Without a spacer, it can be hard to time the release with breathing in, and some of the medication may end up in the mouth or throat instead of the lungs.

The spacer holds the medication in a chamber after it is released, giving the patient time to inhale slowly and deeply, ensuring that a larger amount of medication reaches the lungs where it can be most beneficial.