NURS 4430 Chapter 20: Med Surg Chapter 20
Document Summary
Med surg chapter 20: assessment of respiratory function. Ventilation: movement of air in and out of the airways. Compliance: the elasticity and expandability of the lungs and thoracic structures. The process by which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration at the air-blood interface. The actual blood flow through the pulmonary vasculature. Focus on the patient"s presenting problem and associated symptoms. Subjective feelings of difficult or labored breathing, breathlessness, shortness of breath. Inability to breath easily except in an upright position. Low pitched continuous sounds heard over the lungs in partial airway narrowing. The expectoration of blood from the respiratory tract. Assessment of respiratory function in the acutely or critically ill patient. The direct inspection and examination of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi. To visualize tissues and determine the nature, location, and extent of the pathologic process. To collect secretions for analysis and to obtain a tissue sample for diagnosis.
