Respiratory status

Question 1

What are the nine (9) components of the respiratory status assessment?

Answer 1

• Conscious state
• General appearance
• Speech
• Ventilatory rate
• Ventilatory rhythm
• Ventilatory effort
• Skin
• PR
• Breath sounds

Question 2

Using the different components list the common signs of respiratory distress

Answer 2

Conscious state
• Altered
General appearance
• Distressed, anxious, struggling to breathe, exhausted
Speech
• Difficult, short sentences or phrases, words, unable to verbalise
Rate
• > 18 (adult)
Rhythm
• Nil resp pause, prolonged expiratory phase
Effort
• Marked chest movement, accessory muscles
Skin
• Pale & sweaty; cyanosis - late sign
PR
• Tachy; brady - late sign
Sounds
• Upper airway stridor, bronchospasm - wheeze, pulmonary oedema - crackles, possible wheeze

Question 3

Where are the areas used for auscultation?

Answer 3

Usually the APEX of the lungs bilaterally (2cm superior to medial 1/3 of clavicle)

Superior Lobes anterior (2nd intercostal space mid clavicular line) and posterior (Between C7 & T3)

Inferior Lobes bilaterally anterior (6th intercostal space, mid-axillary line) and posteriorly (between T3 & T10)