ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR THE RESPIRATORY UNIT ON 5 SOUTH
COPD Exacerbation:
A patient with a know diagnosis of COPD or a history of tobacco use,
AND one or more of the following acute changes:
Increased shortness of breath over baseline
Increased cough
Increased sputum
AND
A negative or unchanged CXR
**Exclude:
Patients who meet criteria for transfer to CDU
Patients who meet criteria for ICU admission
Asthma Exacerbation
One or more of the following symptoms:
Shortness of breath
Wheezing
Chest tightness
One or more of the following exam findings:
Wheezing
Decreased air entry
Peak Flow < 20% of baseline (when available)
AND
A normal or unchanged CXR
**Exclude Patients who meet criteria for ICU admission
Non-Invasive Ventilation:
New and appropriate use of bilevel ventilation
Medical provider available to check follow up ABG every half hour as indicated
Hemodynamic stability
pH >7.25 prior to initiation of bilevel
**Requires admission to housestaff service
**Excludes patients with congestive heart failure
**Exclude metabolic acidosis
**Exclude patients who meet criteria for ICU admission
Pneumonia:
One of more of the following acute changes:
Fever
Cough
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Leukocytosis
AND
A new infiltrate on CXR or CT scan
**Exclude
Patients who meet criteria for ICU admission
Exacerbation of bronchiectasis:
Patient’s with underlying bronchiectasis presenting with:
Increased sputum production
Increased viscosity and darker color of sputum
Pulmonary Embolism:
Acute pulmonary embolism
Hemodynamic stability
Oxygen saturation >90% on Fio2 of 50% or less
Pneumothorax:
Chest tube in place and functioning properly
Hemodynamic stability
Unilateral
Excluding trauma
Oxygen saturation >90% on Fio2 of 50% or less
Exacerbation of Interstitial Lung Disease:
Patient with diagnosis of ILD with:
Worsening shortness of breath
New ground glass opacities superimposed on underlying chronic changes on CT
No evidence of CHF
Hemoptysis:
Non-massive
Hemodynamic stability
Oxygen saturation >90% on less than 50% Fio2
Miscellaneous:
Patients with primary pulmonary complaint, unexplained hypoxemia, abnormal CT chest of unknown
etiology.