What should the nurse do immediately when a client on parenteral nutrition suddenly experiences difficulty breathing and chest pain?

When a client receiving parenteral nutrition suddenly experiences difficulty breathing and chest pain, the immediate priority is to ensure the client’s safety and address any potential complications. Clamping the PN infusion line serves to stop the infusion of the parenteral nutrition solution, which could be causing a reaction or compounding the client’s distress.

In this situation, respiratory distress may indicate a serious issue such as an embolism or an allergic reaction to components in the PN solution. By clamping the line, the nurse prevents further infusion of substances that could exacerbate the client’s condition until further assessment and intervention can occur.

Taking this action also allows for the immediate initiation of appropriate responses, such as calling for emergency assistance or alerting other healthcare providers. Since the infusion of parenteral nutrition could be related to the sudden onset of symptoms, stopping it promptly can be crucial in managing the client’s safety.

The other actions, such as increasing the infusion rate or administering bronchodilators, could worsen the situation. Calling the healthcare provider is also necessary, but it follows the immediate action of ensuring no further potentially harmful substance is infused.