Nursing 1180A/B Chapter week 3: Week 3 -Respiratory Assessment
9 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Oxygenation of cells is vital in order to sustain life. Techniques used to assess respiratory system include: inspection, auscultation, palpation, percussion. The respiratory system consists of the thorax, lungs, airways, respiratory muscles and the cns. The thorax is a structure of bone & cartilage. It consists of the sternum, clavicles, the thoracic spine, scapulae and vertebrae in the back, all held together by the ribs. The sternal angle is a bony ridge where the manubrium joins the sternum. The nurse needs to locate the sternal angle and the intercostal space just below the second rib. The right lung is divided into 3 lobes the upper, middle and lower lobes. The left lung is smaller and divided into only two the upper and lower lobes. The trachea branches into the bronchi at the sternal angle. The right main bronchus is straighter than the left one, which is important when dealing with a client at risk for aspiration.
