title: Assessment and maintenance of adequate respiration.
abstract: In order to make an adequate assessment of and to maintain respiratory function in patients in the intensive care unit, the nursing responsibilities include: (1) Recognition of physiologic and psychologic changes related to respiratory disease. (2) Appreciation of individual reactions to respiratory stressful situations, particularly during periods of hypoxemia and hypercapnia. (3) Awareness that behavioral changes related to changes in respiratory physiology are reversible with corrective respiratory therapy. (4) Skill in implementing the prescribed medical therapy quickly and efficiently and ability to evaluate the patient's response. (5) Assessment and appropriate involvement of the family as an essential factor in the plan for care.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Administration Hospital, Long Beach, California, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurihara
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000451:nursing; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control