You have been called for an 83-year-old female who is having difficulty breathing. She informs you that she has congestive heart failure and feels as though she is filling up with fluid. The primary assessment shows her to be alert and oriented with inadequate breathing. Her pulse is rapid and weak, and her skin is cool and dry. When performing a secondary assessment, which one of the following

signs related to heart failure would you specifically look for when examining the patient's neck?

A) Bruising to the neck
B) Deviated trachea
C) Jugular vein distention
D) Posterior tenderness on palpation

C