Factors that Impact Respiratory Assessment (Nursing)

00:01 So, let's talk about some common factors that influence the character or quality of respirations.

00:06 Because we need you to be very clear on what normal is.

00:10 That way, it's easier for you to recognize what's abnormal and what's a sign of real impending trouble.

00:17 So, here's some things that will impact your respiratory assessment. If the patient's in pain.

00:23 Think about what you do when you're in pain. You may breathe faster, they may breathe more shallow.

00:29 If they've had abdominal surgery or have abdominal pain, any injury or trauma that causes them to experience more pain if they expand that wall very much, this will be impacted.

00:41 So, an abdominal surgery, gastric distention, a late pregnancy.

00:46 Those poor women that are late in pregnancy when they have the baby is really taking up a lot of their body space, they don't have much room for their lungs or their diaphragm to move.

00:57 So, that will impact their respiratory assessment.

01:00 After you've had significant exercise or you've exerted yourself. You have anxiety, a panic attack.

01:05 Certain medications will impact your respiratory assessment.

01:09 The position of the body. Now, the best position to facilitate good breathing if someone who's having trouble is High Fowler's.

01:18 Have them sitting pretty close to straight up in bed that would facilitate their ability to breathe.

01:23 Also, fever will impact your respiratory assessment.

01:27 Fever, hyperthermia in the body, increases metabolic demands.

01:32 That's why their respiratory rate will also increase. Okay, we've gave you this big list here.

01:37 So, what do you do with this when you're studying? Kind of look at how you're gonna chunk information together.

01:43 When you're thinking through these options, make sure that each one of them makes sense to you on how they're going to impact your respiratory assessment.