Lung Protective Strategies: A Case Study

PCO2 decreased during rapid breathing because more CO2 was removed from the blood than normal. Each breath expels a certain amount of CO2. If the breathing rate increases, then more CO2 is expelled.

The prevention of VAP through standardized care can reduce mortality rates, reduce mechanical ventilation days, and decrease costs and improve patient outcome.

Oxygen is drawn into the lungs by a process called inhalation, (breathing in), which occurs when the diaphragm and intercostal muscles are contracted which causes the lungs to expand, giving a larger volume and therefore causing a lower pressure differential between the lungs, alveolar pressure, and the outside atmosphere. This inverse relationship between volume and pressure is called Boyle’s law. (Tortora & Derrickson, 2011)

ICU patients suffer from a broad range of pathologies, requiring MV, sedation and use of multiples devices, which do not allow patients to protect their airway (Augustyn. 2007; Kollef. 2004).

Another important intervention was to maintain the head of the bed at 30-45 degrees and position L.M.’s left lung into a dependent position to improve ventilation and perfusion. L.M.’s O2 was decreased to 63 and her CO2 was increased to 50. According to the IHI, it is recommended to elevate the bed to 30- 45 degrees to improve ventilation. Patients that lay in the supine position have lower spontaneous tidal volumes on pressure support ventilation compared to those laying at more of an angle (Institute for Healthcare Improvement, 2012). In regards to positioning, when the least damaged portion of the lung is placed in a dependent position it receives preferential blood flow. This redistribution of blood flow helps match ventilation and perfusion, therefore, improving gas exchange (Lough, Stacy & Urden, 2010). Implementing these interventions combined with respiratory therapy, significantly improved the blood gas values for oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

Both rapid, shallow breathing patterns and hypoventilation effect gas exchange. Arterial blood gases will be monitored and changes discussed with provider. Alteration in PaCO2 and PaO2 levels are signs of respiratory failure. Patient’s body position will be properly aligned for optimum respiratory excursion, this promotes lung expansion and improved air exchange. Patient will be suctioned as needed to clear secretions and maintain patent airways. The expected outcome is that the patient’s airway and gas exchange will be maintained as evidence by normal arterial blood gases (Herdman,

The presence of fluid in the alveolar space could potentially cause the lung capacity to be effected as well.

To encourage physicians, ICU nurses, and respiratory therapist to use the ventilator associated pneumonia bundle in all ventilated patients in an intensive care unit.

When the organs fail the only option is a transplant. With lungs there is only a 50% rate of a five year survival rate after a lung transplantation involving the end-stage respiratory disease. With such a drastic survival rate a study was completed to determine if patients could have a better outcome. This study was done to help determine effective methods to enhance lung transplants before surgery; the Doctors placed the recipients on bi-level positive airway pressure ventilation (BIPAP.) “BIPAP is a noninvasive mode of ventilation administered through a tight-fitting mask to assist spontaneously breathing patients”

In the first step of the Tanner (2006) model nurses use their personal knowledge and experience to notice whether the patient requires attentions based on their expectations and looking at environment of the patient. Therefore, for an experience nurse it is easier for them responding to the similar situation if she or he revisit because the knowledge is already there through experience. In the case of Mr Devi, assessment will perform using systematic assessment based on the ABCDE approach (Airway, Breathing, circulation, Disability and Exposure). The ABCDE approach is an evidence-based practice widely accepted and used by all the members of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) to assess an acutely ill patient (Harrison and Daly 2011). First, life-threatening

Air escaped from the lung into the pleural space. Eventually, enough air collected in the pleural space to cause the mediastinum to shift twoard the right. The collapsed left lung, increased intrapleural pressure, and rightward shift make it difficult to ventilate A.W.

Patients had to measure their IC by using an incentive spirometer to measure static lung values. They performed this test for 20 minutes after inhaling 400 mg of salbutamol via a nebulizer. The patients were asked to use the FVC spirometer and told to take a deep breath and then to let the breath out passively. They were then asked to do the same maneuver 2 more times, but the closeness made the study choose the first attempt.

There is a considerable controversy regarding the use of OBL in patients with respiratory failure and those on mechanical ventilation because of the potential high morbidity and mortality associated with its use in those patients (20, 21). While the role of OLB has become well established in the diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (18), its utility and safety are more controversial in critically ill patients. Proponents of OLB argue that solid diagnosis of underlying aetiology can be helpful in determination of the best course of treatment (22). Moreover, the risk of biopsy is fairly low if adequate precautions are taken (23). In contrast, opponents of OLB believe that defining the underlying mechanism of injury is largely academic and it will not add new to the treatment of those patients because of the lack of specific therapies for underlying aetiologies of ARDS and respiratory

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) occurs when fluid builds up in the tiny, elastic air sacs (alveoli) in your lungs. More fluid in your lungs means less oxygen can reach your bloodstream. This deprives your organs of the oxygen they need to function.

According to the American Lung Association, “Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a rapidly progressive disease occurring in critically ill patients.” ARDS is an extreme manifestation of a lung injury that can be associated with an acute medical problem. This occurs as a result of direct or indirect trauma to the lungs. With nearly 200,000 cases in the United States each year, ARDS is not extremely common (“Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome”). Most people who acquire this disease are critically ill patients within the hospital. The most common predisposing medical problems of ARDS consist of: shock, trauma, pulmonary infections, sepsis, aspiration, and cardiopulmonary bypass (Ignatavicious, 2013). ARDS is a severe syndrome and even with prompt and aggressive medical treatment, almost fifty percent of those diagnosed do not survive. Those who survive have a longer hospital stay along with recurring hospital admissions throughout their lifetime (“Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome”). Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a rapidly progressive disease which requires thorough assessment, rapid diagnosis, and emergency treatment measures in order to successfully respond to the disease process.