Question

1 Jennifer Hoffman is a 33-year-old female brought to the Emergency Department by her neighbor. She has a history of asthma since childhood with multiple emergency visits within the last year. She appears to be in respiratory distress, struggling to breathe. She is unable to speak other than simple one-word statements. An infusion of normal saline has been started at a keep-open rate.

1.   What are you on alert for today with this patient?

2.    Why is this important?

3.    What are the important assessments to make?

4.    Why are these assessments important

5.    What complications may occur? What could go wrong

6.    Relate the assessment data to the potential complications that may occur.

7.    What interventions will prevent complications?

8.How will the interventions prevent complications?

Answer 1

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that causes airway hyperresponsiveness, mucosal edema,and mucous production.This inflammation ultimately leads to recurrent episodes of asthma symptoms cough,chest tightness,wheezing and dyspnea. Presenting symptoms are respiratory distress,struggling for breathing,unable to speaking.

1.These presenting symptoms are need alert,because patient already asthmatic, Asthma may co exists with Chronic pulmonary obstructive pulmonary disease. If not treated well it leads to irreversible. Respiratory distress,dyspnea leads to reduce blood oxygen saturation it cause reduce oxygen supply to vital organs and it may cause fatal conditions like shock.

2. In life saving process we use ABC process ,Airway,breathing,circulation. Airways are main important ,if lungs not work properly blood won't get oxygenated,it leads to reduce oxygen supply to body.

3. For the patient,with these presenting symptoms ,we need to asses Respiratory function test to identify functional abnormalities,need to do arterial blood gas analysis to know oxygen saturation ,need to do fluid volume assessment to avoid overloaded by infusion. Chest X ray help to identify fluid accumulation or any other issues in lungs,Electro cardiogram is required because cardiac problems also create these types of symptoms.

4.The above mentioned assessment is important to rule out underlying cause for presenting symptoms and to avoid wrong treatment.

5. By the given data ,arising complications many be fluid overload. Because fluids flowing at open rate,with out knowing underlying cause and without doing assessment for need of fluids if we give fluid at open rate cause fluid overload. Fluids overload due to kidney dysfunction also cause these types of symptoms.

6. Fluid assessment data and blood gas analysis data and electrolytes imbalance may cause fluids overload.

7.Check the fluid need for patient and administer how much it need or avoid if any chance of overload.