Sample Nursing Care Plan (ncp) for COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) is one of the most common lung diseases. It generally defines the conditions which consist of regular difficulty in expelling or exhaling air from the lungs. There are two major forms of COPD: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis consists of a long term cough with mucus. Emphysema is a gradual destruction of the lungs. Most people who have COPD have a combination of these forms because smoking is a major cause of both of them. There are a few signs of COPD that a healthcare worker may detect although they can be seen in other diseases. Some people have COPD and have none of these signs. Common signs are : tachypnea, a rapid breathing rate wheezing sounds or crackles in the lungs heard through a stethoscope breathing out taking a longer time than breathing in enlargement of the chest, particularly the front-to-back distance (hyperaeration) active use of muscles in the neck to help with breathing breathing through pursed li...