Respiratory Fundamentals Review
Lung Sounds Oxygen Delivery Oxygen
Devices Considerations
Stridor: Signifies the trachea is narrowing.
Nasal cannula: Humidify: >4L
Rhonchi: Signifies mucus in the airways.
Pad these areas to
Wheezing: Signifies constriction in the bronchi/bronchioles. prevent skin
Simple Face breakdown:
Crackles: Signifies fluid in the alveoli. Mask: behind ears
Lubricate with
nonpetroleum
Venturi Mask:
lubricant.
Teach patient to
Nonrebreather: clean devices with
soap and water.
Breathing Techniques
Incentive Spirometry:
Patient will wrap their lips around the device’s
mouthpiece and inhale slowly and deeply. Helps open
the patient’s alveoli.
Purse-lipped breathing:
Patient should breathe in for two seconds and out for four,
pursing their lips as they exhale. This helps create back-
pressure during exhalation that helps open the airways.
Diaphragmatic Breathing:
Patient should lay on their back and place their hands on their
abdomen. They should focus on moving their hands up and
down as they breathe. This retrains the patient to use their
diaphragm to breathe.
Patho/Risk Assessment/ Treatments Nursing Considerations
Factors Complications
Obstructive Soft tissue in the Daytime: BiPAP/CPAP: Teach patient about
Sleep Apnea throat and -Feels helps by creating weight loss and avoidance
pharyngeal area sleepy/fatigued positive pressure of alcohol and sedatives.
becomes too -Mood: irritable in the airway
relaxed and -Pain: headaches keeping it open.
This study source was downloaded by 100000901387178 from CourseHero.com on 01-02-2026 06:24:34 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/252922324/Document30docx/
, collapses over -Memory loss
the upper Positioning: HOB
airway. Nighttime: elevated or side-
-Loud snoring lying.
Risks: -Sleep activity:
Obesity restless Oral appliances:
(BMI ) -Breathing activity: help by pulling
Smoking choking/gasping the jaw and soft
Large uvula tissue forward
Family history Complications: away from the
Enlarged tonsils. Weight gain airway.
Cardiac
dysrhythmias Medications:
Diabetes -Modafinil:
decreases
Diagnosis: daytime
Polysomnogram sleepiness.
-Protrip[tyline:
Increases
respiratory drive
and improves
respiratory
muscle tone.
Give at bedtime.
Surgery
Asthma Bronchoconstric Lab: Elevated Rescue
tion due to eosinophils. Medications: Albuterol (SABA): Teach
inflammation Rescue patient that they may feel
and immune Exacerbation Medications: jittery, anxious, shaky, etc.
hyperresponsive symptoms: Albuterol (SABA) -
ness. -Lung sounds: helps by Fluticasone (steroid):
wheezing stimulating the Teach patient to rinse
Triggers: -Respiratory rate: fight or flight to mouth after use to avoid
Many vary per elevated bronchodilate. thrush. Also watch for
patient. -Cough bruising, thinning skin, and
-Tight feeling in Ipratropium weight gain.
Cold air. chest. bromide – works
Exercise -Shortness of by relaxing airway
GERD breath. muscles. Other Considerations:
Infections Teach patient to develop a
Medications: 1) Complication: Preventative trigger diary.
NSAIDS 2) Beta Status asthmaticus Medications:
This study source was downloaded by 100000901387178 from CourseHero.com on 01-02-2026 06:24:34 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/252922324/Document30docx/
Lung Sounds Oxygen Delivery Oxygen
Devices Considerations
Stridor: Signifies the trachea is narrowing.
Nasal cannula: Humidify: >4L
Rhonchi: Signifies mucus in the airways.
Pad these areas to
Wheezing: Signifies constriction in the bronchi/bronchioles. prevent skin
Simple Face breakdown:
Crackles: Signifies fluid in the alveoli. Mask: behind ears
Lubricate with
nonpetroleum
Venturi Mask:
lubricant.
Teach patient to
Nonrebreather: clean devices with
soap and water.
Breathing Techniques
Incentive Spirometry:
Patient will wrap their lips around the device’s
mouthpiece and inhale slowly and deeply. Helps open
the patient’s alveoli.
Purse-lipped breathing:
Patient should breathe in for two seconds and out for four,
pursing their lips as they exhale. This helps create back-
pressure during exhalation that helps open the airways.
Diaphragmatic Breathing:
Patient should lay on their back and place their hands on their
abdomen. They should focus on moving their hands up and
down as they breathe. This retrains the patient to use their
diaphragm to breathe.
Patho/Risk Assessment/ Treatments Nursing Considerations
Factors Complications
Obstructive Soft tissue in the Daytime: BiPAP/CPAP: Teach patient about
Sleep Apnea throat and -Feels helps by creating weight loss and avoidance
pharyngeal area sleepy/fatigued positive pressure of alcohol and sedatives.
becomes too -Mood: irritable in the airway
relaxed and -Pain: headaches keeping it open.
This study source was downloaded by 100000901387178 from CourseHero.com on 01-02-2026 06:24:34 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/252922324/Document30docx/
, collapses over -Memory loss
the upper Positioning: HOB
airway. Nighttime: elevated or side-
-Loud snoring lying.
Risks: -Sleep activity:
Obesity restless Oral appliances:
(BMI ) -Breathing activity: help by pulling
Smoking choking/gasping the jaw and soft
Large uvula tissue forward
Family history Complications: away from the
Enlarged tonsils. Weight gain airway.
Cardiac
dysrhythmias Medications:
Diabetes -Modafinil:
decreases
Diagnosis: daytime
Polysomnogram sleepiness.
-Protrip[tyline:
Increases
respiratory drive
and improves
respiratory
muscle tone.
Give at bedtime.
Surgery
Asthma Bronchoconstric Lab: Elevated Rescue
tion due to eosinophils. Medications: Albuterol (SABA): Teach
inflammation Rescue patient that they may feel
and immune Exacerbation Medications: jittery, anxious, shaky, etc.
hyperresponsive symptoms: Albuterol (SABA) -
ness. -Lung sounds: helps by Fluticasone (steroid):
wheezing stimulating the Teach patient to rinse
Triggers: -Respiratory rate: fight or flight to mouth after use to avoid
Many vary per elevated bronchodilate. thrush. Also watch for
patient. -Cough bruising, thinning skin, and
-Tight feeling in Ipratropium weight gain.
Cold air. chest. bromide – works
Exercise -Shortness of by relaxing airway
GERD breath. muscles. Other Considerations:
Infections Teach patient to develop a
Medications: 1) Complication: Preventative trigger diary.
NSAIDS 2) Beta Status asthmaticus Medications:
This study source was downloaded by 100000901387178 from CourseHero.com on 01-02-2026 06:24:34 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/252922324/Document30docx/
