Question

18. Complete the table below. 

How you might prevent difficulty breathing 

What you might observe if a person has difficulty breathing 

What you might aska dying person to better understand their needs 

Comfort measures that might be helpful

Answer 1

How to prevent difficulty in breathing?

• · Encourage sustained deep breath only
• · Encourage diaphragmatic breathing for chronic cases
• · Inspiratory muscle trainings
• · Provide respiratory medications
• · Avoid high concentration of oxygen in patients with COPD
• · Encourage patient to mobilize own secretions with successful coughing
• · Avail a fan in the room
• · Teach patient about:,

1. pursed-lip breathing

2. abdominal breathing

3. performing relaxation techniques

4. performing relaxation techniques

5. taking prescribed medications (ensuring accuracy of dose and frequency and monitoring adverse effects)

6. scheduling activities to avoid fatigue and provide for rest periods

what you might observe in person with breathing difficulty?

• Altered chest excursion
• Apnea
• Assumption of three-point position to breathe (bending forward while supporting self by placing one hand on each knee)
• Changes in respiratory rate and depth
• Cough
• Cyanosis
• Decreased Po2 and Sao2; increased Pco2
• Dyspnea
• Fremitus
• Holding breath
• Increased anteroposterior chest diameter
• Increased restlessness, apprehension, and metabolic rate
• Increased work of breathing, use of accessory muscles
• Nasal flaring
• Noisy respirations
• Pursed-lip breathing or prolonged expiratory phase
• Reduced VC/total lung volume
• Reduced vital capacity
• Respiratory depth changes
• Tachypnea/bradypnea or cessation of respirations when off the ventilator
• Use of accessory muscles