Scene The patient (55 kilograms) is sitting on the gymnasi…
Scene The patient (55 kilograms) is sitting on the gymnasium floor in the tripod position. There are two staff members with him. The patient is alert and appears to be oriented but is currently unable to speak due to respiratory distress. One of the staff members informs you that the patient was in gym class when he began to feel short of breath. The staff member informs you that he has a history of asthma and takes Albuterol. The patient took his rescue inhaler three times with little effect. The patient’s breathing is rapid and labored and there is audible wheezing. His radial pulse is rapid and bounding. There are no signs of trauma. His eyes open spontaneously and his pupils are 4 mm and reactive to light. The vital signs are BP 124/68, P 112, R 26, SPO2 88% on room air, and T 98°F (37°C). The blood glucose is 89 mg/dL. Based on this information, which of the following would be the most appropriate initial treatments for this patient? Select the two answer options that are correct.