Free Nursing Dissertations - We Would Begin Our Paper With An Analysis Of The Patient’s Condition Through
We would begin our paper with an analysis of the patient’s condition through several studies cited and then discuss the treatment objectives as well as learning outcomes and how this could be achieved using reflective practice, collaborative working and application of knowledge and skills. Some discussion on learning outcomes as training objectives in the medical profession and counseling of patients’ relatives to overcome any psychological shock is also present in the analysis.
Cases and Evidence of Breathing Difficulty
Breathing problems and asthmatic conditions have been reported in cases and studies worldwide. According to a report by the National Statistics Department, the prevalence of treated asthma increased in both sexes and all age groups except for children under 5 years. The percentage of patients being treated with the combined use of bronchodilators with regular preventive treatment has also increased, suggesting improved adherence to British Thoracic Society guidelines (National Statistics, 2003).
Citing a case of severe broncho-spasm in a patient, Dominguez (2002) described the patient as having severe difficulties in breathing, speaking and denied any past medical history of breathlessness. The pre-hospital providers and clinicians according to the author were challenged with determining the differential diagnosis for broncho-spasm and hypoxemia. The focus was on the diagnosis and whether the patient was experiencing an acute asthmatic attack or an anaphylactic reaction. A thorough assessment and patient history taking was emphasized in this case as all wheezing symptoms could not be considered as asthma. It had to be determined whether the patient was suffering from bronchitis and broncho-spasms, anaphylaxis, asthma, pneumonia, COPD or a severe congestive heart failure (CHF). As Dominguez points out anaphylatic and asthmatic patients have difficulty moving air but do not have problems with oxygenation and many respiratory conditions are capable of causing wheezing. Even in case of CHF, when left ventricular function decreases, there can be increased pulmonary pressure when serum begins to leak out of pulmonary vessels and into interstitial space leading to increases in interstitial pressure. This causes the narrowing of bronchioles and air traveling through the narrowed bronchioles can also cause the wheezing sound and fluid can also leak out of pulmonary capillaries to occupy much space of the alveolar sacs and when the interstitial pressure rises and bronchioles continue to narrow down, initially a wheezing sound is given out and in this condition, oxygen is not exchanged adequately into the blood with the patient becoming hypoxemic. With an accurate patient history and proper assessment, the cause o the broncho-spasm is identified and the questions identified by Dominguez are as follows does the patient have a history of asthma?
