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    Dyspnea and Cough

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    Latha Sukumar
    Nurses assess patients with dyspnea and cough through questions about symptoms and medical history, observations of breathing, position, and pulse oximetry. Nursing management includes allowing time to talk calmly with the patient and instructing slow breathing, using positioning to maximize respiratory function comfortably, and breathing exercises to help clear sputum. Medications like oxygen therapy and bronchodilators can also help alleviate distress from dyspnea.

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    Dyspnea and Cough

    Uploaded by

    Latha Sukumar
    50 views70 pages
    Nurses assess patients with dyspnea and cough through questions about symptoms and medical history, observations of breathing, position, and pulse oximetry. Nursing management includes allowing time to talk calmly with the patient and instructing slow breathing, using positioning to maximize respiratory function comfortably, and breathing exercises to help clear sputum. Medications like oxygen therapy and bronchodilators can also help alleviate distress from dyspnea.

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    Nurses assess patients with dyspnea and cough through questions about symptoms and medical history, observations of breathing, position, and pulse oximetry. Nursing management includes allowing time to talk calmly with the patient and instructing slow breathing, using positioning to maximize respiratory function comfortably, and breathing exercises to help clear sputum. Medications like oxygen therapy and bronchodilators can also help alleviate distress from dyspnea.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    50 views70 pages

    Dyspnea and Cough

    Uploaded by

    Latha Sukumar
    Nurses assess patients with dyspnea and cough through questions about symptoms and medical history, observations of breathing, position, and pulse oximetry. Nursing management includes allowing time to talk calmly with the patient and instructing slow breathing, using positioning to maximize respiratory function comfortably, and breathing exercises to help clear sputum. Medications like oxygen therapy and bronchodilators can also help alleviate distress from dyspnea.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 70

    DYSPNEA AND COUGH

    ASSESSMENT
    Nursing Management:

    Assessment: A typical assessment will include asking patients questions about the
    following:
    •What makes them breathless;
    •What makes their breathing easier/worse;
    •Their previous medical history;
    •Current and past medications;
    •Their smoking history.

    • Recording and observing respirations


    • Observing the patient’s colour - It can indicate a severe lack of oxygen. In
    dark-skinned patients, signs of poor perfusion or cyanosis may be detected if
    the area around the lips or nail beds appears dusky in colour;
    • Observing the patient’s position: sitting upright, with shoulders hunched up,
    suggests that the patient is working hard to breathe.
    Observations should be accurately and clearly recorded on patients’ observations
    charts and in their nursing records. Any abnormalities must be reported to medical
    staff.

    Other commonly used observations in a respiratory assessment include pulse


    oximetry (measuring the percentage of oxyhaemogloblin present in the
    capillaries), and the peak expiratory flow rate. This measures the maximum flow
    rate that can be expelled from the lungs, which can indicate airway obstruction.

     Allowing time with breathless patients, talking calmly to them and


    instructing them to breathe slowly, and breathing with them, can be highly
    effective.
    For some patients, a more tactile approach, with gentle rubbing of the back
    and stroking of an arm, can sometimes help to relax them, thus reducing the
    respiratory effort. 

    see the room is well ventilated can be of benefit and some patients find the use of a
    fan blowing air on to their face provides some relief.

    Distraction can help some patients take their mind off their dyspnoea, and many
    will report that they are less aware of their symptoms when they are occupied with
    something else.
    Positioning
    The aim when positioning a patient with dyspnoea is to maximise
    respiratory function while reducing physical effort, therefore the
    individual should be comfortable and well supported. Ensure that
    the pillows are supporting the small of the patient’s back.
    Breathing exercises and sputum clearance
    Specific breathing exercises can be highly beneficial for patients
    with chronic dyspnoea. 

    The distress caused by dyspnoea can be alleviated by pharmacological


    interventions, the most common being oxygen therapy and inhaled
    bronchodilators.
    Oxygen therapy - This is used to treat hypoxia (a low level of arterial
    oxygen). 

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