What is the priority nursing intervention for a client with an arterial blood gas indicating respiratory acidosis during an asthma attack?

In the context of respiratory acidosis during an asthma attack, the priority nursing intervention is to provide bronchodilation to improve airflow and reduce carbon dioxide retention in the body. The administration of an albuterol nebulizer is crucial in this situation because albuterol is a short-acting beta-2 agonist that works rapidly to relax bronchial smooth muscle, resulting in dilation of the airways. This action helps increase airflow to the lungs, alleviating the hypoventilation that is often seen in respiratory acidosis.

During an asthma attack, the airways become constricted, leading to difficulties in breathing and impaired gas exchange. As a result, the retention of carbon dioxide increases, contributing to respiratory acidosis. By using an albuterol nebulizer, the nurse aims to reverse bronchospasm quickly and stabilize the client's breathing, effectively addressing the underlying cause of the respiratory acidosis.

Other interventions such as obtaining a chest x-ray or conducting sputum cultures may be important for diagnosing underlying conditions or assessing for infection, but they do not provide immediate relief during an acute asthma attack. Similarly, while ipratropium may be beneficial as an adjunct therapy for easing bronchoconstriction, it acts slower than albuterol and is not the immediate priority in this