RESPIRATORY FUNCTION AND NURSING CARE
Prepared by Prof. Rudy De Guzman, MAN, RN
Functions of the Respiratory System
• Inhalation and Exhalation Are Pulmonary
Ventilation
• External Respiration Exchanges Gases
Between the Lungs and the Bloodstream
• Internal Respiration Exchanges Gases Between
the Bloodstream and Body Tissues
• Air Vibrating the Vocal Cords Creates Sound
• Olfaction, or Smelling
Factors Affecting the Respiratory System
• H- ealth
• M-edications
• E- nvironment
• A-ge
• L-ifestyle
• S-tress
Assessing the Respiratory System
• Complaints of shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Bluish or cyanotic appearance of the nail beds,
lips, mucous membranes
and skin
• Restlessness, irritability, confusion, decreased
level of consciousness
• Pain during inspiration and expiration
• Labored or difficult breathing
• Orthopnea
Assessing the Respiratory System
• Use of accessory muscles
• Abnormal breath sounds such as wheezes,
rhonchi or rales
• Inability to breathe spontaneously
• Thick, frothy, blood-tinged or copious
sputum production
• Paradoxical chest wall movement