Respiratory care skills Flashcards
Role of the cardiopulmonary system
- We need full function of cardiac and pulmonary systems
- Right side of the heart pumps the blood into pulmonary circulation
- Left side of the heart pumps to rest of body (systemic circulation)
- Cardiopulmonary physiology involves the delivery of deoxygenated blood (blood high in CO2 and low in O2) to the right side of the heart and to the pulmonary circulation, and oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left side of the heart and the tissues
The 3-step process of oxygenation
1) Ventilation
2) Perfusion
3) Diffusion
- If any of these 3 are compromised then breathing is compromised
Ventilation
- Moving gases in & out of lungs
- Requires muscles, nerves, and the elastic structure of the lungs
Perfusion
- Oxygenated blood to tissues
- Deoxygenated blood to lungs
Diffusion
- Movement of molecules from high concentration to low concentration
- Exchange of the gases
Physiological factors that compromise oxygenation
- Cardiac disorders
- Anemia
- Pregnancy
- Fever
- Infection
- CNS or chest wall conditions.
Developmental factors that compromise oxygenation
- Age related changes resulting in decreased ability for the lungs to expand
Lifestyle factors that compromise oxygenation
- Smoking
- Malnourishment
- Obesity
Environmental factors that compromise oxygenation
- Smog
- Asbestos
- High altitudes; reduced about of O2 being inhaled
Goals of ventilation
- Normal arterial oxygen tension (PaO2): 80 – 100mmHg
- Normal arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2): 35 - 45 mmHg
Partial pressure of oxygen
- The amount of oxygen dissolved in the plasma
- PaO2
- 80-100 mmHg
Partial pressure of carbon dioxide
- The amount of CO2 dissolved in the plasma
- PaCO2
- 35-45 mmHg
Alterations in respiration
- Hyperventilation
- Hypoventilation
- Hypoxia
Hyperventilation
- Definition: Ventilation > than required
- Decreased amount of CO2 in the body; breathing more than what is needed to rid the amount of co2 in the body
- Increased rate of respiration
- Alveoli level
- Want to treat the underlying cause
Causes:
- Anxiety
- Infections
- Fever
- Shock
- Acid-base imbalance
- Meds (e.g., ASA, amphetamines)
Hypoventilation
- Definition: Ventilation < than required
- Alveoli is inadequate to meet oxygen demands or to remove CO2
- Elevation of CO2 in the body
- Changes in mental state, dysrhythemia, potential of cardia arrest
- COPD; chronic CO2 retainers; their body has adapted to higher levels of CO2
- Want to treat the underlying causes of hypoventilation
Causes:
- Atelectasis
- Inappropriate O2 administration in patients with COPD
- COPD patients are chronic CO2 retainers - their stimulus to breathe is low O2 concentration
- If the O2 concentration is increased, their respiratory rate decreases
Hypoxia
- Definition: inadequate tissue oxygenation at the cellular level.
- Life threatening condition
Causes:
- Decreased Hgb & lowered O2 carrying capacity
- Decreased concentration of inhaled O2
- Inability of tissues to extract O2 from blood
- Decreased diffusion of O2 from alveoli to blood
- Poor tissue perfusion
- Impaired ventilation
- Trauma
Signs and symptoms of hypoxia
- Restlessness
- Apprehension / agitation
- Declining LOC
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Usually increased P, R & B/P (initially) but then decrease in vital signs
- Cyanosis
Manages by giving oxygen and treating the underlying cause
Pulmonary function test (PFT)
Measures lung volume and capacity
- Done by RTs
- Measure the lung volume and capacity
- Take a deep breath, forcefully exhale into the machine
- Diagnosing and managing pulmonary diseases
Arterial blood gases (ABG)
Measures the adequacy
of tissue oxygenation
pH: 7.35-7.45
PaCO2: 35-45mmHg
PaO2: 80-100mmHg
- Measures the adequacy of tissue concentration in the blood
- Arterial blood taken
- Looking at pH of blood
Pulse oximetry (SpO2)
Indirect measure of oxygen
saturation
- Measures the amount of oxygen bound to hemoglobin
- Finger probe most commonly used
- LED light inside to take measurement
- Want 95-100%
- High 80’s and low 90’s might be appropriate for some chronic conditions i.e. COPD
- 70%or below is life threatening
- Interpret with caution; many factors and influence; nail polish, artificial nails, capillary refill, and tremors
- When we get value outside or normal range want to critically think
- Patient needs normal capillary refill for accurate test
Imaging: X-rays/CT scans
Provide visualization of
lung fields
Potential nursing diagnoses for respiratory assessment
- Ineffective airway clearance
- Ineffective breathing pattern
- Impaired gas exchange
- Impaired spontaneous ventilation
- Ineffective tissue perfusion
Airway maintenance interventions
Goal is to ensure the trachea is free of obstruction and bronchi are free and open
Mobilization of pulmonary secretions
- Humidification
- Nebulization
- Chest Physiotherapy (CPT)
- percussion (cupping)
- vibration (shaking pressure applied during exhalation) - Postural Drainage
Suctioning
- Oropharyngeal & nasopharyngeal
- Orotracheal & nasotracheal
- Tracheal
Artificial airways
- Oral, nasal and endotracheal
Humidification
- Process of adding water to gas
- Keeps airways moist and helps to loosen secretions
- Needed for clients receiving O2 > 4L/min
- Intended to help keep the airways moist when delivering oxygen
- Also helps to loosen secretion when airways moist
- Also good for patients with tracheal tubes; bypassing mouth and nasal passages skips the humidification and goes straight into the body
- Humidify to infants; oxygen hood