A 72-year-old female with non-small cell lung cancer is unde…
A 72-year-old female with non-small cell lung cancer is undergoing radiation therapy to the thorax. During her second week of treatment, the therapists notice her respiratory rate is only 8 breaths per minute while she is lying on the treatment table. The patient appears drowsy but arousable. Her chart indicates she is taking opioid medication for cancer-related pain. The radiation oncology nurse is notified. What do the patient’s respirations indicate?