What action should the nurse take for a patient with pulmonary embolism and dropping oxygen saturation?

In a patient with pulmonary embolism experiencing a drop in oxygen saturation, increasing the prescribed oxygen flow rate is crucial. This action directly addresses the acute need for improved oxygen delivery to the patient's lungs, especially considering that in pulmonary embolism, the blood flow to certain areas of the lungs is compromised, which can severely impact oxygenation. Administering supplemental oxygen helps to provide immediate relief and may stabilize the patient's condition by ensuring that more oxygen is available for gas exchange.

Suctioning the oropharynx, while potentially beneficial if airway obstruction is suspected, does not directly improve oxygen saturation and should only be performed if there is clear evidence of airway obstruction. Teaching the patient to cough and deep breathe is important for overall lung function but may not provide immediate relief in an emergency situation like a pulmonary embolism where rapid action is necessary. Assisting the patient to sit in a more upright position can help improve lung mechanics and reduce the work of breathing, but it is a supportive measure rather than a direct approach to address low oxygen saturation levels.

Thus, increasing the oxygen flow rate is a targeted intervention to improve hypoxemia in this scenario.