Hlt516 Assignment 1

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HLT51612

Implement and monitor Nursing Care for Clients with Chronic health problems



Introduction


Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious, progressive and disabling condition that limits airflow in the lungs. People with COPD are prone to severe episodes of shortness of breath, with fits of coughing. In contrast to asthma where medication can reverse symptoms or they can reverse naturally, shortness of breath related to COPD may not be fully reversible even with treatment. (Salvi & Barnes 2009)

COPD is therefore used as an umbrella term to describe a number of lung diseases that interfere with a persons breathing. Emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma are the 3 most common causes.

In this assignment I will discuss …show more content…

When patients finally seek help, they will usually present with a combination of symptoms such as worsening dyspnea, chronic coughing with sputum production which may or may not include acute chest pain and wheezing (Zab. M. 2014)

Mrs Walker presented to emergency with classic clinical manifestations of COPD. Her history of being a 40 pack year smoker likely contributed to the damage in her lungs as she presented with an audible wheeze and a productive cough on assessment. As we know inflammation in the lungs causes the excessive production of mucus which interrupts airflow and will result in laboured breathing (dyspnea) and coughing as the lungs try to clear and get more oxygen. Mrs Walker high respiratory rate and low oxygen saturation

ations such as less oxygen circulating the body. Because the body is unable to receive enough oxygen, it compensates by making the heart work harder (tachycadia). Another factor that points to COPD in Mrs Walkers case is the presentation of oedema in both her legs which is indicative of Pulmonary hypertension, a common complication of having COPD (Robert Naeije,

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