Answers to Assignments, Chapter 25, Respiratory Care Modalities
Written Assignment
Written Assignment 1: Areas of assessment include auscultating breath sounds and
listening for retained secretions. Pulmonary-function studies are performed to determine
whether the planned resection will leave sufficient function lung tissue. ABGs are
assessed to provide a more complete picture of functional capacity of the lung. A
bronchoscopic exam, chest x-ray, ECG, nutritional assessment, BUN, creatinine, blood
glucose levels, and CBC may be done prior to surgery. Review Care of the Patient after
Thoracotomy in textbook.
Group Assignments
Group Assignment 1: Include in the list proper care and administration of oxygen to the
patient and maintenance of equipment.
Group Assignment 2: Review the care of the patient with an endotracheal tube.
Inadvertent removal of an endotracheal tube can cause laryngeal swelling, hypoxemia,
bradycardia, hypotension, and even death. Measure must be taken to prevent premature
or inadvertent removal.
Group Assignment 3: Ventilatory modes of weaning include assist-control, IMV, SIMV,
pressure support, and CPAP. Review Guidelines for Care of the Patient Being Weaned
from Mechanical Ventilation.
Clinical Assignments
Clinical Assignment 1: Include information on intermittent positive-pressure breathing,
mini-nebulizer therapy, incentive spirometry, and chest physiotherapy.
Clinical Assignment 2: Review Guidelines for Care for the Patient with a Tracheostomy
Tube. Review the procedure for performing tracheal Suctioning.
Clinical Assignment 3: Nursing diagnoses related to mechanical ventilation include
impaired gas exchange, ineffective airway clearance, anxiety, and impaired physical
mobility. Review the indications for mechanical ventilation.
Clinical Assignment 4: If the chest tube and drainage system become disconnected, air
can enter the pleural space, producing a pneumothorax. To prevent pneumothorax, if the
chest tube is inadvertently disconnected from the drainage system, a temporary water seal
can be established by immersing the chest tube’s open end in a bottle of sterile water.
Review the guidelines for managing chest drainage systems.
Web Assignment
Web Assignment 1: Summarize the objectives, results, and conclusions of the study.