Asthma is a chronic respiratory tract disorder characterized by airway inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and hypersecretion of mucus. Moreover, it results in wheezing, cough, breathing difficulty, and sometimes acute episodes called asthma exacerbations.
The healthcare professionals, and particularly nurses, ought to identify and diagnose such exacerbations and properly manage them to ensure safety and optimal health outcomes. The purpose of the article is to discuss nursing diagnosis involving asthma exacerbation nursing diagnosis, covering identification, risk factors, and management measures.
Asthma Exacerbation
Asthma exacerbation, often referred to as an asthma attack, occurs when the symptoms seriously deteriorate. Several triggering methods exist, which involve exposure to allergens, respiratory infections, environmental pollutants, and climatic changes. Moreover, it presents clinical challenges that have to be attended to by timely medication. The symptoms commonly involve wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
Significance of Asthma Exacerbation Nursing Diagnosis
Nursing diagnosis is the phase of the nursing process responsible for classifying the responses of the client toward health conditions and problems. Since asthma exacerbation is a serious health condition, nurses must develop appropriate and correct nursing diagnoses to guide specific care. This would help to detect patient needs and effectively carry out interventions to help in the attainment of good health results.
Some Common Nursing Diagnoses for Asthma Exacerbation
In practice, several nursing diagnoses can be derived in the course of asthma exacerbation. Furthermore, the nurse should consider every situation that a patient undergoes to be able to provide relevant care. The common asthma exacerbation nursing diagnoses are:
- Ineffective Airway Clearance
This nursing diagnosis refers to the inability to clear secretions or other obstruction of tracheobronchial tree-the air passages that prevent normal breathing.
Etiology: Inflammation and hypersecretion in the airways of patients could produce excess mucus, which may block or obstruct their airways during exacerbations.
Assessment Criteria: The patient experiencing ineffective clearance of the airways may often suffer with continuous wheezing, decreased breath sounds, recurring coughing, and the event of thick sputum.
Interventions: Nursing interventions in a care plan for asthma patient who have ineffective airway clearance include administration of prescribed bronchodilators, encouraging deep breathing, and chest physiotherapy to improve mucus expectoration.
- Impaired Gas Exchange
Impaired gas exchange means inadequate oxygenation and poor removal of carbon dioxide at the alveolocapillary membrane. On the basis of diagnosis, a nurse develops effective treatment plans.
Etiology: During an asthmatic attack, bronchial spasm and airway obstruction can interfere with the lung’s ability to clear CO2. This diminished CO2 clearance results in hypoxemia and, subsequently, respiratory acidosis.
Assessment Criteria: The nurse will monitor for tachypnea, use of accessory muscles for breathing, altered mental status, and cyanosis as signs of impaired gas exchange.
Interventions: No doubt, the supplemental oxygenation, monitoring ABGs, comfortable positioning to promote lung expansion are some of the ways through which a nurse can facilitate gas exchange.
- Anxiety Over Difficulty in Breathing & Fear of Exacerbation
A feeling of smothering or fear of not being able to breathe may serve as the roots of anxiety in patients who have asthma exacerbation. It is also one of the essential components of asthma exacerbation nursing diagnosis.
Etiology: The episode of crisis in the airways can be very frightening, and the anxiety of the patient can increase the intensity of the physical symptoms of asthma.
Assessment Criteria: Anxiety will show such types of symptoms as restlessness, rapid speech, tachycardia, and verbalization of concern about breathing difficulty.
Interventions: In an exacerbation, a nurse can help alleviate anxiety with therapeutic communication, relaxation techniques, and reassurance.
- Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity
This diagnosis states that there is a risk of skin breakdown due to some factor, which might include immobility or the use of medical devices that cause circulatory constriction, such as oxygen masks.
Etiology: Severe asthma exacerbations require the patient to be bedridden or positioned in a particular pose while attempting to breathe more easily.
Assessment Criteria: Development of redness, blistering, or other indications of skin failure over bony prominences, especially in immobilized patients.
Interventions: Monitor the patient’s skin condition frequently; turn the patient regularly; and keep good hygiene to prevent skin complications.
Development of an All-Encompassing Nursing Care Plan
The comprehensive nursing care plan for asthma exacerbation patients entails the assessment stage and the diagnosis stage. It should include the following elements:
- Assessment
The nurse identifies the severity of the exacerbation by recognition of signs and symptoms and by conducting a thorough initial assessment. Furthermore, this assessment should include vital signs and respiratory function tests, as well as a history of the patient, including recent triggers that could have caused the exacerbation.
- Planning
After defining the asthma exacerbation nursing diagnosis, it is the responsibility of the nurse to develop attainable and measurable goals in collaboration with the healthcare team. These specific goals are the restoration of efficient airway clearance, optimization of gas exchange, reduction of anxiety, and maintenance of skin integrity.
- Implementation
The implementation stage involves the actual performance of the designed interventions according to each nursing diagnosis. Moreover, the patient’s condition should also be kept under constant observation in order to watch for improvement or deterioration.
- Evaluation
No one can deny that the evaluation of a care plan is very beneficial. Therefore, the nurse must continuously assess the effectiveness of the intervention strategies and thus, respond with an appropriate revision in the care plan. It depends upon the patient’s responses to the treatment. No doubt, the outcomes are of great significance in influencing future interventions. Besides this, it also initiates easy communication among health professionals.
Wrapping Up
Asthma exacerbation is an important nursing consideration of a nurse in the management of respiratory diseases. Proper asthma exacerbation nursing diagnoses allow the healthcare professional to define an appropriate treatment plan that respects the variables that interlink for this asthma exacerbation. Furthermore, intervention, teaching, and communication were all integrated into this excellent care for asthma. No doubt, continuing education in asthma management will remain beneficial for the evolution of healthcare. Also, it helps nurses striving for better patient well-being and the best health outcomes for those with this disease.
FAQs
- What does exacerbate mean in asthma?
This term is associated with episodes of progressive increase in cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheezing, etc. In other words, it is an acute form of asthma.
- What are the three common triggers of an asthma exacerbation?
- Indoor allergens such as dust, etc
- Outdoor allergens such as pollens, etc
- Emotional stress
- What is the best initial treatment for asthma?
An inhaler is the best treatment for quick relief in asthma. These inhalers let you take medicine that helps you to breathe properly and easily.
