Respiratory Examination Flashcards
What are the steps before examination?
Introduce yourself
Confirm name and DOB
Gain consent
Adjust bed to 45 degree angle
Ask patient to expose chest
Ask if patient is in any pain
What are you looking for in a general inspection?
Cyanosis or Pallor
Shortness of Breath
Cough or Wheeze
Stridor
Oedema
Cachexia
What does cyanosis indicate?
Poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of blood
What does shortness of breath look like?
Use of accessory muscles
Nasal flaring
What is stridor and what does it indicate?
A high pitched breath sound
Indicates turbulent flow
What does pallor indicate?
Anaemia or poor perfusion
What does peripheral oedema or Ascites indicate?
Right ventricular failure
What does pulmonary oedema indicate ?
Left Ventricular Failure
What does Cachexia indicate?
End stage lung diseases ( COPD, lung cancer )
What objects/ equipment should you look out for?
Oxygen
ECGs leads
Medications
Catheters
IV
Mobility aids
What do you look out for on the hands?
Tar staining
Clubbing
Cyanosis
Bruised/thinned skins
Joint swelling/deformity
How do you assess finger clubbing?
Schamroth’s Window ( diamond test)
What else do you assess for on hands?
Fine temor
Asterixis
Symmetrical temperature
Radial pulse
What does skin thinning/bruising indicate?
Long term steroid use
What does joint swelling/ deformity indicate?
Rheumatoid Arthritis
( happens in pleural effusion / pulmonary fibrosis)
What does finger clubbing indicate?
Chronic Low Oxygen :
Lung cancer
Interstitial lung disease
CF
Bronchiectasis
What does a fine tremor indicate?
Beta-2-agonist usage ( e.g salbutamol )
What does asterixis indicate?
CO2 retention ( e.g type 2 reps failure)
What does the temperature of the hands indicate ?
Cold hands - poor peripheral perfusion
Excessively warm hands - CO2 retention
Where is the radial pulse palpated?
The radial ( lateral ) side under wrist