Which assessment finding would a nurse expect in a client with ARDS?

• A. Hypertension
• B. Tenacious sputum
• C. Altered mental status
• D. Slow rate of breathing

Answer: (C)

In ARDS, injury to the alveolar-capillary barrier causes fluid and protein-rich leakage into the alveoli, leading to severe impairment of oxygen exchange. The resulting hypoxemia reduces oxygen delivery to the brain, so patients often developed altered mental status such as restlessness, confusion, or agitation. This makes altered mental status the most consistent and expected assessment finding in ARDS among the options.

Other choices don’t fit as well: hypertension isn’t a defining feature of ARDS, tenacious sputum isn’t characteristic of the typical ARDS secretions (they’re often frothy), and a slow rate of breathing is unlikely because patients with ARDS usually exhibit tachypnea as they attempt to compensate for hypoxemia.