Diagnosis and Management of Respiratory Disorders
Respiratory disorders such as pneumonia and asthma are among the leading causes of hospitalization in pediatric patients (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). With such severe implications associated with many respiratory disorders, advanced practice nurses must be able to quickly identify symptoms, diagnose patients, and recommend appropriate treatment. For this Discussion, consider potential diagnoses and treatments for the patients in the following the respiratory Disorders
Case Study
Brian is a 14-year-old known asthmatic with a 2-day history of worsening cough and shortness of breath. He reports using a short-acting beta agonist every 3 hours over the previous 24 hours. He has a long-acting inhaled corticosteroid, but the prescription ran out, and he forgot to get it refilled. He says he came today because he woke up at 2 a.m. coughing and couldn’t stop, thus preventing him from going back to sleep. Over-the-counter cough suppressants don’t help. He denies cigarette smoking, but his clothing smells like smoke. His respiratory rate is 18 and he has prolonged expiration and expiratory wheezes in all lung fields. There are no signs of dyspnea. All other exam findings are normal. (This asthma exacerbation in adolescent).
