...Can't Breath Most of you may not think of asthma as a killer disease, yet more that 5,000 Americans die of asthma each year. “According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute web page, asthma also accounts for more that 400,000 hospital discharges annually” (What is Asthma?, 8/24) . As the number of people with asthma increases, the more likely you are to meet a person who has the disease. I have a close and personal relationship with asthma. My ex wife three sons have asthma and they deal with the disease everyday each case a little different. Today, I will discuss some interesting facts about asthma; I will specifically focus on what are asthma, warning signs, symptoms, causes, and the treatments that are used. What is Asthma? Asthma is best described by its technical name: Reversible Obstructive Airway Disease (ROAD). In other words, asthma is a condition in which the airways of the lungs become either narrowed or blocked. The results are usually temporary but they cause shortness of breath, breathing trouble, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest. To know what it really feels like to have asthma, I would like everyone to pick up the straw and put it in his or her mouth as if they were using it to drink something. Then, pinch your nose. Try breathing for twenty seconds. A real attack can last up to more than ten minutes and you are only doing it for twenty seconds. Juice, the youngest child, chest would rise so big because he could not...
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...The Last Breath Twisting the doorknob on the mahogany door towering over me, I listen attentively for the familiar woofs of Pongpong. I remember when my mom asked me what I wanted to name my dog. I was imitating the sounds of firecrackers, and my mom thought I said Pongpong while I was actually shouting: “boom, boom!” That’s how my dog’s name came to be. After pushing the door open, I steady myself before Pongpong pounces on me with all his strength. Being a lot taller anda stronger than me, Pongpong pushes me to the floor and I wince at the pain. I playfully nudge him off of me and follow him inside. I run my tiny fingers through his fur, which feels like combing through a million silk threads. Pongpong may be a little frightening in my six-year-old mind, but he became a big part of my life and I know I wouldn’t be able to live without him. I didn’t know if it was the fluorescent lamp on my desk that was causing the pounding in my head or the words that I just heard. They replay over in my head, like a song I really don’t want to hear anymore. “It’s Pongpong. He’s sick. His lung problems are causing him to bleed. He’s at the hospital, and the doctors say he won’t live much longer.” My sister’s rushed whisper repeated in my head again. I regret not giving Pongpong all of my love and staying by him for his entire life. I regret the days and moments lost because we gave him away. He was given to my sister’s friend when my mom started having serious allergies. Pongpong...
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...Random Breath Tests for Drivers is a Smart Thing to do As a six year old little girl I was faced with what I thought was the worst news of my life. In April 1989, my father was hit head on by a drunk driver and was killed instantly. Almost twenty years later and this horrific memory still plays over and over in my head. If random breathalyzers were performed more often by police officers then maybe my father would still be alive today. I believe random breathalyzers for drivers is a smart thing to perform on a daily basis around the world because they will keep intoxicated drivers off the road and keep our roads and highways safe. Far too many people drink near the legal limit not realizing that they may innocently go over the limit. It’s not uncommon for us to be out on a Saturday night with a group of our close friends, have a few drinks and drive home. Sometimes it’s difficult to gage ones alcohol intake and is easier to assume that we are okay to drive. The legal limit in most states is 0.8%. If a person is driving while above the legal limit they are arrested and charged with drinking and driving more commonly referred to as a DUI or DWI. Driving under the influence of alcohol can be seriously harmful to themselves and innocent bystanders such as my father. Alcohol blurs our judgment and decreases our reaction time which can be crucial while operating a motorized vehicle. Driving while under the influence is illegal and those that violate that law should...
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...heart rate of 104, with an irregular gallop, crackles in left lower lobe, right side is dull, red sacral area, 3+ pitting edema to knees, and shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping. Lab/X-ray findings: Chest x-ray: left pleural effusion, CHF, Pneumonia. Course of Treatment: Course of treatment includes admission into the hospital, with the administration of diuretics and IV antibiotics; will also collect blood cultures and sputum if possible. Treatment will also include O2 and bedrest. Medications administered during treatment 25 mg Capoten po tid, 40 mg Furosemide po qd, 10 mg Nortriptyline HCL po qd, and 0.125 mg Digoxin po qod. The patient was also put on low sodium, low cholesterol, and lactose free diet. Condition on Discharge: Patient was discharged to a long term care facility closer to her family. Her strength and endurance improved during her treatment at the facility. Also new x-rays show a slight improvement in the left lower lung field infiltrate. Patient was still having problems with shortness breath at discharge, resulting in a dependency upon a wheelchair. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is most common among elderly patients, the heart is the most important muscle in the body, and without it doing...
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...Thankful Breath Through this story, the author portrays what everyone goes through in life; life is like a hail of arrows (impact of the giant diving bell) that you continuously maneuver through with an open mind (mind takes flight like a butterfly). This story is about a person going through “locked-in syndrome” which is paralysis from head to toe after resuscitation from a brain stem accident and despite all of that, they are still able to see the brighter side in life. Day in and day out, people look for the easiest possible way out. Choosing wants over needs, a person’s poverty becomes another person’s luxury. On the eight of December, “I was brutally introduced to the importance of the brain stem when a cerebrovascular accident took my brain stem out of action.” You are able to survive, but you survive with a symptom known as “locked-in syndrome”. The inability to move, your own mind imprisoned within yourself, doesn’t that sound familiar? The feeling of paranoia and anxiety seeping through your heart with every beat as your life takes a wrong turn. Your feelings constricted, the exact way your soul is when deciding to listen your heart or your head. There are times when listening to your head will suffice when compared to what’s being said in your heart. Persistence comes to mind; your “diving bell becomes less oppressive, and your mind takes flight like a butterfly.” You are what you eat; the same mentality is embedded in life. You are what you experience and experience...
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...them, and the options for treatment. (Transition: Let's start with the nature of panic attacks.) Body I. Panic attacks are a severe medical condition with a number of physical and mental symptoms. A. As defined by the National Institute of Mental Health, panic attacks involve “unexpected And repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms." 1. The attacks usually come out of nowhere and strike when least expected. 2. Their length can vary from a few minutes to several hours. B. There are a number of symptoms common to most panic attacks. 1. Physical symptoms include a pounding heart, shortness of breath, bbbbbbbbbbbbbblightheadedness, and numbness or tingling sensations in the arms and legs. 2. Mental symptoms include acute fear, a sense of disaster or helplessness, and a hhhhhhhhhhhhhhfeeling of being detached from one's own body. (Transition: Now that you know something about the nature of panic attacks, let's look at how widespread they are.) II. Panic attacks affect millions of people. A. According to the American Psychiatric Association, six million Americans suffer from hhhhhhhhpanic attacks. B. Some groups have a higher...
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...1. What is an obstructive lung disorder? COPD- preventable and treatable disease state characterized by chronic airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. The airflow limitation is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles or gases, primarily caused by cigarette smoking. 2. What should the nurse consider when giving oxygen to the patient with an obstructive lung disorder and why? -02 has an irritating effect in mucous membranes and dries secretions, therefore it is important that a high liter of flow of 02 delivering 35-50% be humidified when administered. - Periodic reevaluations are necessary for the patient who using chronic supplemental O2 -Most patients with COPD can tolerate 2 L/min via cannula -Access patients nares and ears for skin breakdown and may need to pad cannula where its sits on the ears -Watch for complications -Periodically check o2 delivery device to ensure that the prescribed concentration is being delivered -Monitor the effectives of 02 therapy( pulse ox, ABG’s) to evaluate patient response to therapy -Observe for signs of o2-induced hypoventilation because this occurs with carbon dioxide nacrosis -Position to minimize respirator efforts ( HOB elevate and provide overbed table for patient to lean on) -The person with COPD who retains CO2 should be treated with low rates of 02 with careful monitoring of ABG’s to avoid hypercarbia. 3. What are nursing management issues...
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...Comprehensive Health Assessment LETTICA JOHNSON September 17, 2013 9/17/2013 15:30 PM S:Mrs. Easter is a pleasant, but very anxious, 32 year old married mother of 2 residing in Houston, TX and is an Executive Administrative Assistant and business owner. Referral: None Reliability: Self-referred; seems reliable. Chief Complaint:Patient complained of “shaky hands” Present Illness: For the past year Mrs. Easter has had a problem with unsteady hands and palpitations in her heart. She was seen in the emergency room one month ago due to what she felt was a possible heart attack at the time. The emergency room physician diagnosed a panic attack and possible Generalized Anxiety Disorder. She has also had recent episodes of blurred vision along with sharp headaches in the back of her head. The pain is usually moderate and lasts about 20-30 seconds. The patient reports being diagnosed with pre-hypertension at the age of 25 and was prescribed Metoprolol, which the patients has refused to take. The blood pressure recorded at that time was 142/89. Medications:Patient is prescribed Metoprolol 50mg, denies taking as perscribed Allergies: Patient reports Doxycycline and Celcor severe allergy causes rash, swelling, vomiting, and bleeding Tobacco:Denies tobacco usage. Alcohol:Patient reports wine on rare occasions. Past History: Childhood Illnesses. Patient reports history of Bilateral Glue Ear, Chicken Pox, and Asthma. Denies history Scarlet Fever or Rheumatic Fever...
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...A Complete Patient Assessment Susan Eisen RN Ramapo College of New Jersey A 63 y/o African American female presents to the emergency room complaining of shortness of breath worsening over the past week. Patient states she becomes severely short of breath while preforming everyday activities and has noticed that her legs have been “getting bigger”. Patient had been sleeping with 3-4 pillows a night for comfort and occasionally sleeping in a recliner. Patient states this evening she got up to use the restroom and had a sudden onset of severe shortness of breath. Felt as though she wasn’t moving any air. Patient called 911. The paramedics on scene established IV access and medicated patient with 40 of furosemide and Nitroglycerin sublingual 0.4 mg times 3 doses. Patient was placed on CPAP and brought to the ER. Upon arrival CPAP was continued, a nitroglycerin infusion was started at 20mcg/min. Additional IV access was established and labs were obtained. Stat EKG and Chest Xray were completed. Additional dose of furosemide 80mg was administered IV push and patient was provided with an indwelling foley catheter which is draining clear yellow urine. Past Medical History is significant for Hypertension, Diabetes, Congestive Heart failure, and Atrial Fibrillation with two unsuccessful cardioversions. Medications: Patient currently taking Furosemide, Lisinopril, Digoxin, ...
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...Shortness of Breath, Pediatric Shortness of breath means your child has trouble breathing. It can also mean that your child has a medical problem that is causing the shortness of breath. Your child should get immediate medical care for shortness of breath. HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS Pay attention to any changes in your child’s symptoms. Take these actions to help with your child’s condition: • Do not allow your child to smoke. Talk to your child about the risks of smoking. • Have your child avoid exposure to smoke. This includes campfire smoke, forest fire smoke, and secondhand smoke from tobacco products. Do not smoke or allow others to smoke in your home or around your child. • Keep your child away from chemicals, fumes, and dust...
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...was about to faint. I was crying calling out to my son to answer me. The paramedics were tring to claim ne down. I was unable to make out my words. I was trying to stop and think. They calm me down knowing he was alright and well. Throughout the night I felt my symptoms trying to come back. My fingers were numb with a tingling sensation. I had trouble sleeping that night. I found myself waking up in a panic to check to see if he was alright. Anxiety could generally be a onetime result but often it is seen the effects are ongoing process. As an individual who suffer from panic attacks regularly it affect my everyday living a healthy life. People often ask “what are anxiety attacks”. It is a frightening state, having shortness of breath, dizziness, hot flashes, and tingling sensation of the fingers and toes. Rapid heart beating and sweatiness. Nervousness worrying tension with emotional stress. There was a point in my life I felt like this disorder was taking over my everyday life. I suffered with having the attacks while driving, out in public and in my...
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...A toddler with Down syndrome Jeffrey was 14 months when I met him. He was born with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect and had an open heart surgery when he was 6 months old. Jeffrey often got ear infections and had recently had a set of pressure equalizing (pe) ear tubes placed. Jeffrey was not walking and was not yet crawling. Children with Down syndrome do learn to crawl and walk and talk; it takes longer. Recent research and clinical experience suggests that, with regard to talking, these children benefit from early oral stimulation, oral motor awareness and multiple experiences with oral sensory stimulation. As soon as I met Jeffery, we began working on ` mouth wakeup` activities , stimulating his teeth, lips, gums , hard and soft palate, inside cheeks, and outside jaw muscles with a variety of toys and tools, including vibrators. We taught his parents to do the same at home. Another part of getting ready to talk is stimulating receptive language (language comprehension). In speech therapy visits we begin using short descriptive sentences to describe toys Jeffrey picked up (he was in a high chair initially). We dropped direct questions during these periods of indirect language stimulation and encouraged the parents to do the same. After two to three weeks, Jeffrey’s mother became adept at these techniques and began describing his activities as he did them so that he could hear them and associate the object he had with the words he heard. Her continuing work in this...
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...a half day’s work as a carpenter. Dyspnea is said to occur only after long hours of work and persist for 2 hours. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea sometimes occured. He had been unable to lay flat in bed at night; 3-pillow orthopnea. No wheezing but with nonproductive cough, no fever, no chest pain, no swelling of the feet or ankle. 4 mos, PTA, patient was brought to NOPH for the first time due to moderate to severe dyspnea which manifested after a very tiring work. He was found out to have cardiomegaly. He was prescribed with Losartan and Lanoxin as maintenance medication. Good compliance to medication; patient is responsive and has become asymptomatic. 1 month PTA, patient skipped maintenance meds. Patient noted onset of shortness of breath while unloading wooden slabs. 1 day PTA, patient presents with dyspnea after carpenting for 5 straight hours; described as intolerable and unrelieved by all other known measures. PAST HISTORY Childhood Illness. Chickenpox Adult Illness. Flu, Common Colds Allergies. Bulad, fish (paksiw) Hospitalization. 4 months ago (NOPH) – due to dyspnea Surgical. Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) – in his 50’s (Mr. P.D forgot the exact date or year) Medical. , +hypertension, BP ranges (160/120 -120/80) Current Medications: Lanoxin, Losartan, Aspirin FAMILY HISTORY Mr. P.D’s parents both had...
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... | | | |Altered heart rate/rhythm | |Fluid Monitoring (4130) | | | |Symptoms: | |• Obs fluid balance __________________ 24 hour | | | |Chest pain | | | | | |Anxiety | |• Obs. orthostatic blodpressure | | | |Shortness of breath/dyspnea | | | | | |Edema...
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...Geriatric History and Physical with Problem List and Plan Health Assessment Lab General Patient Information Client: 81-year-old Caucasian/Italian female Source: Client, seems reliable Marital status: Widower Religion: Catholic Occupation: House wife Formal education: High school Primary language: English, written and spoken Secondary: None Reason for Seeking Care: Shortness of breath and productive cough. History of Present Illness: Recurrent episodes of shortness of breathe and productive cough since 2008. First episode occurred when she was in her early 80’s. She was awakened in the middle of the night with a very painful right-sided chest pain and cough. There was no warning of a problem. She reports the pain was “tight and pounding”. The pain was a 10 on a numeric scale 0-10 lasting about 25 minutes. Patient states her cough worsens when walking long distances, especially without using her walker and her breathing becomes labored. She states her cough usually lasts about three days but has noticed it becoming more persistent and feels the need to cough up phlegm. She saw a physician for that episode. Diagnostic test confirmed a diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease when she had her first episode of these symptoms. Her lung sounds presented with some wheezing on the upper lungs bilaterally, she had rapid shallow breathing with a respiration of 24. Upon walking long distances she becomes emotionally anxious; rest does not...
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