Week One Flashcards
Definition of acute care?
The health system components, or care delivery platforms, used to treat sudden, often unexpected, urgent or emergent episodes of injury and illness that can lead to death or disability without rapid intervention
Types of admission?
- Emergency or unplanned admission
- Elective planned surgery or treatment
- For review (outpatients)
- Ongoing treatment
What timeframe of an illnesses is considered indicate acute illness?
3 months
What are the three functions of the respiratory system?
- Ventilation
- Diffusion
- Perfusion
What is normal ventilation and diffusion?
Alveoli transfer oxygen into the vein and carry carbon dioxide out of the blood
What is respiratory failure?
A condition that occurs as a result of one or more diseases involving the lungs or other systems affects lung function, 02 delivery, cardiac output or baseline metabolic state
What is type one of respiratory failure?
Failure of oxygenation, resulting in hypoxia but normal PaCO2
What is type two of respiratory failure?
Failure of ventilation, resulting in both hypoxaemia and hypercapnia
What are signs and symptoms of respiratory failure?
- Sudden or chronic
- Signs and symptoms relate to extent of change and patients ability to compensate for change
What is hypoxemia?
Low partial pressure of oxygen in the blood
What is hypoxia?
Low oxygenation of tissues
What is the most common cause of hypoxemia and a component of most causes of respiratory failure?
V/Q mismatch
What can affect V/Q ration and cause a V/Q mismatch?
- Shunt
- Physiological dead space
What is seen in hypoxemia?
- Normal PaCO2
- Decreased Pa02 (< 60-80 mmHg)
- Decreased Sa02
- Poor oxygenation of the blood
What is seen in hypercapnia?
- Increased PaC02 (> 50mmHg)
- With a pH < 7.35mmHg
- Failure of ventilation & insufficient C02 removal
What are causes of hypoxemia (type one)?
- ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome)
- Pneumonia
- Shock
- Massive pulmonary embolism
What are causes of hypercapnia (type two)?
- Asthma
- COPD
- MS
- Pneumothorax
- Brain stem infarction
What are signs and symptoms relate to extent of change and patients ability to compensate for change?
- Ability to talk in sentences or single words?
- Restlessness
- Exhaustion
- Positioning
- Respiratory rate changes from fast to slow
- Paradoxical breathing
What are nursing assessments for ARF?
- General presentation
- Skin and is cyanosis present?
- Auscultate
- Posture
- Speech
- Accessory muscle use
- Cardiac status, vital signs
- ABG’s, pulse oximetry, PEFR, capnography.
- Assess systems affected by ARF: CNS, CVS, fluids & electrolytes and renal system
What is ARDS?
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
- 40% mortality rate
- Sudden & progressive
- Alveolar-capillary interface becomes damaged and more permeable. Fluid containing proteins fills the alveoli resulting in severe dyspnoea and hypoxemia refractory to supplemental 02, with reduced lung compliance and diffuse pulmonary infiltrates.
- At the same time, an inflammatory chain reaction occurs
- Damage to endothelium of the alveoli, damage to Type One alveolar lining cells allow for more fluid and debris into the alveolar space & Type II cells cause a loss of surfactant
What is treatment for ARDS?
- Intubation & mechanical support
- Oxygen
- Circulatory support
- Adequate fluid volume
- Nutritional support
- ABG monitoring
- Continuous vital sign monitoring - Art line, cardiac monitor, SV02
- Positioning in bed, rotated 2 hourly to evenly ventilate lungs
What is a Swan Ganz catheter?
A pulmonary artery catheter
What is pneumonia?
- Acute inflammation of the lung parenchyma with associated symptoms
- Common and some types have a high mortality
How do organisms reach lungs to cause pneumonia?
- Aspiration of normal flora nasopharynx or oropharynx
- Inhalation of microbes
- Haematogenous spread from primary infection elsewhere
What are the types of pneumonia?
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Mycoplasma organisms
- Fungi
- Parasites
- Chemical
What are the classifications of pneumonia?
- Community acquired pneumonia (CAP)
- Medical care acquired pneumonia (MCAP)
What is community acquired pneumonia (CAP)?
Developed pneumonia after not being hospitalised or in a long-term care facility for >14 days
What is medical care acquired pneumonia (MCAP)?
MCAP – three forms:
- Hospital-associated pneumonia (HAP) – 48 hours or greater after hospitalisation
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)
- Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP)
What is the pathological course of pneumonia?
Inflammatory response causing either:
- Alveoli filled with fluid and debris (consolidation)
- Increased production of mucosa (airway obstruction)
Causing decreased gas exchange
What are signs and symptoms of pneumonia?
- Fever
- Cough
- SOB
- Low blood pressure
- Nausea and vomiting
What to do for a nursing assessment for a patient with acute respiratory infection?
Subjective data: - Past history - Medications - Surgery or other treatment Objective data: - General - Respiratory - Cardiovascular - Neurological - Possible diagnosis findings
What are diagnostic studies for pneumonia?
- History and physical examination
- CXR
- Gram strain sputum
- Sputum culture
- ABG’s
- Blood cultures (if fever present)
- FBC & Lytes
What is collaborative care for pneumonia?
- Appropriate antibiotic therapy
- Increased fluid intake/IVF
- Limited activity and rest
- Antipyretics
- Analgesics
- Oxygen therapy-SP02/ABG dependent
- Chest physiotherapy
- Nutritional therapy & hydration
What are interventions for respiratory failure?
- Oxygen therapy
- Mobilisation of secretions
- Drug therapy
- Medical supportive therapy
- Nutritional therapy
What are interventions to mobilise secretions for respiratory failure?
- Effective coughing and positioning
- Hydration and humidification
- Chest physiotherapy
- Airway suctioning
What are drug therapies for respiratory failure?
- Relief of bronchospasm
- Reduction of airway inflammation
- Reduction of pulmonary congestion
- Treatment of pulmonary infections
- Reduction of anxiety, pain and agitation
What are medical supportive therapies for respiratory failure?
- Treating the underlying cause
- Maintaining adequate cardiac output
- Maintaining adequate haemoglobin concentration
How long does the early phase of asthma last?
30-60 minutes
How long does the last phase of asthma last?
Can recur 4-6 hours after early phase
What is the early phase of asthma and what is an intervention?
Bronchospasm - provide bronchdialator
What is the early late of asthma and what is an intervention?
Bronchial hyper-responsiveness
What occurs when a patient has a severe and life threatening asthma exacerbation?
- Dyspnoeic
- Speaks in words not sentences
- Sitting forward to maximise diaphragmatic movement with prominent wheeze
- Respiratory rate > 30
- Accessory muscles in neck are straining
- Patient agitated
What is step one in the step wise approach for managing asthma?
SABA as needed
What is step two in the step wise approach for managing asthma?
Low dose ICS and LABA
Alternatively: LTRA or theophylline
What is step three in the step wise approach for managing asthma?
Low dose ICS and LABA or medium dose ICS
Alternatively: low dose ICS and either LTRA or theophylline
What is step four in the step wise approach for managing asthma?
Medium dose ICS and LABA
Alternatively: medium dose ICS and either LTRA or theophylline
What is step five in the step wise approach for managing asthma?
High dose ICS and LABA and consider omalizumab for patient who have allergies
What is step six in the step wise approach for managing asthma?
High dose ICS and LABA and oral corticosteroid and consider omalizumab for patient who have allergies
What is pursed lip breathing?
Inhale slowly through the nose and exhale slowly (3 times more) through pursed lips - Prolongs exhalation - Prevent collapse of bronchioles - Prevent air trapping - Slows respiratory rate
What are different types of NIPPV (Nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation)?
- CPAP - one pressure setting, constant flow
- BiPAP - inspiratory and expiratory settings
What is an arterial blood gas (ABG)?
- Blood sample taken from an artery
- Measures:
Acidity (pH), levels of oxygen (pO2) and carbon dioxide (pCO2) - Measures how well lungs are functioning
- Performed by Dr’s or advanced practice nurses
What are the components of ABG and their normal values?
- pH: 7.35 - 7.45
- PaO2: 80 -100mmHg
- PaCO2: 35 - 45 mmHg
- HCO3: 22 - 26
- SaO2: 94% - 100%
What are acid conditions?
- Presence of ketoacids (ketones)
- Lactic acids
- Hydrochloric acid
What are alkaline conditions?
- Result of several metabolic processes
- Ingestion of too much antacids
- Prolong D&V’s, gastric suctioning
- Some diuretics, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, laxative abuse
What are the buffer systems?
- Buffer System (chemical sponge) (Most rapid regulation)
- Lungs (respiratory buffer) (Rapid regulation)
- Kidneys (renal buffer ) (Slowest regulation)
What ph has a high amount of H ions?
Acid
What ph has a low amount of H ions?
Base
What are ABG indicators of respiratory acidosis?
pH: <7.35
C02: >45
What are ABG indicators of respiratory alkalosis?
pH: >7.45
C02: <35
What are ABG indicators of metabolic acidosis?
pH: <7.35
HC03: <22
What are ABG indicators of metabolic alkalosis?
pH: >7.45
HC03: >26
What are causes of respiratory acidosis?
- Obstruction of gas exchange or hypoventilation
- Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, severe pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, asthma
- Impaired mechanics of breathing
- Drugs
What are causes of respiratory alkalosis?
Common – hyperventilation, pain, fear, anxiety, leads to elimination of lots of C02 (hypocapnia) being blown off by tachypnea
What are causes of metabolic acidosis?
- Not enough base or alkali in the blood and too much acid
- Shock, DKA, renal failure, diarrhoea, diuretics, certain drugs
What are causes of metabolic alkalosis?
Excess base/bicarbonate or too little acid
Excessive antacids, gastric suctioning, excessive vomiting
What are manifestations of respiratory acidosis?
H/A, blurred vision, restlessness, confusion, lethargy, dyspnea, tachycardia, respiratory distress, shallow resps, convulsions, coma
What are manifestations of respiratory alkalosis?
Dizziness, confusion, paraesthesia, convulsions, restlessness, spasms in fingers/toes, tetany, coma
What are manifestations of metabolic acidosis?
H/A, lethargy, Kussmaul resps, N&V, diarrhoea, arrhythmias, coma, death
What are manifestations of metabolic alkalosis?
Dizziness, lethargy, weakness, muscle cramps & twitching, cramps, tetany, shallow & slow resps, tachycardia, coma
What is treatment for respiratory acidosis?
- Supportive therapies
- Bi-pap
- Treat underlying cause
What is treatment for respiratory alkalosis?
- Reassurance
- Rebreathing into a paper bag during acute episodes
- Treatment for underlying psychological stress
What is treatment for metabolic acidosis?
- Sodium citrate for kidney failure
- IV fluids and insulin for ketoacidosis
What is treatment for metabolic alkalosis?
- Potassium-sparing diuretics e.g. aldosterone antagonist spironolactone
- Surgical removal of adrenal adenoma or carcinoma if this is the cause