Nursing Care Plan for COPD
COPD , or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. "Progressive" means the disease gets worse over time. COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus (a slimy substance), wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD . Most people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke. Long-term exposure to other lung irritants, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust, also may contribute to COPD . nhlbi.nih.gov Assessment Airway Assess and maintain airway Do the head tilt, chin lift if necessary Use the help of the airway if necessary Consider to be referring to the anesthesiologist Breathing Assess oxygen saturation using pulse oximeter Do inspection arterial blood gases to assess pH, PaCO2 and PaO2 If the arterial pH less than 7.2, more profitable patients using non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and references must be made in accordance with loca...