Ineffective breathing pattern

Posted by holotrop029 on Jun 25, 2019 in Respiratory problems | 0 comments

Ineffective breathing pattern is when during inspiration and expiration, there is no adequate ventilation. This is where the timing, depth, rate of the breathing pattern is altered. When the pattern for breathing is not effective then the oxygen does not get to the cells. Failure of respiratory may be related to variation in respiratory rate, thoracic and abdominal pattern.

Having an effective and clear airway is vital to care for patients. Managing appropriately the patients with problems of oxygenation is to keep or enhance pulmonary ventilation and oxygenation, ease the breathing and improve the ability to participate in physical activities.

Breathing patterns may be altered by many circumstances like a failure of the heart, hypoxia, airway obstruction, infection, disc surgery, cognitive impairment, thyroid dysfunction, peritonitis, liver cirrhosis, spinal cord injuries, mechanical ventilatory assistance, drug overdose AIDS, acute alcohol withdrawal, cardiac surgery, diabetic ketoacidosis, uremia, cholecystectomy, seizure disorders, and neuromuscular impairment.

Signs and symptoms of Ineffective Breathing pattern

• Change in respiratory rate and depth
• Cough
• Holding breath
• Increased anteroposterior chest diameter
• Increased restlessness, and metabolic rate
• Reduced vital capacity use of accessory muscles
• Noisy respiration
• Nasal flaring
• Prolonged expiratory phase

Nursing Assessment

Nursing assessment should be done in order to know the problem that is possibly leading to an ineffective breathing pattern. Nursing assessment involves:

1. Accessing and recording the respiratory rate and depth at least every four hours by checking the Apnea( that is the temporary cessation of breathing while asleep), Apneusis – is a gasping inspiration with a pause at full inspiration followed by a brief insufficient release, hyperventilation, Bradypnea, Kussmaul’s respirations, Biot’s respiration and Cheyne-strokes respiration.
2. Assessing the ABG levels- this monitors the ventilation and oxygenation status.
3. Analyzing the blood gas- this is done by noting the ph (that is determining the acidosis or alkalosis), noting the PaCO2 if it is normal or decreased, noting the HCO3, base, and PaO2.