Question

You are called to the ER to  evaluate b Mr. Collins who has a long standing history of COPD. He was brought to the ER by ambulance and is complaining of increasing shortness of breath and productive high laugh with thick, green sputum.

List five clinical findings one would see that would indicate an increased work of breathing.

What would be the vitals, such as pulse respiration's, bp, pulse ox, and temperature?

Answer 1

A) Five clinical findings one would see that would indicate an increased work of breathing :-

-Tachypnea - fast respiration rate

-tripod positioning - brace with hands

-Accessory muscle use - (use extra muscles to breath, like in terrible pain)

- diaphoresis - sweating

- flaring nostrils

- pursed lip breathing

- abdominal pardoxis - stomach goes out / chest goes in, then chest goes out / stomach goes in, stomach goes out / chest goes in and so forth

normal would be that both the stomach and the chest go in the same direction

B. tachycardia ( more than 100bpm)

tachypnea( more than 20bpm)

hypertension or hypotension

temp low or normal (with oral temp)

pulse oxygen less than 90% or normal depending upon supplemental oxygen in use.