Introduction
Pneumonia is a serious infection that affects the lungs. The disease weakens respiration by enabling fluids to seep into the alveoli (Adamec, 2011). The article below focuses on a nursing intervention of a pneumonia case study.
Nursing intervention
Ineffective breathing pattern
A nurse managing the patient illustrated in the case study should first assess the presence of impaired breathing pattern. The above involves chest physiology, suctioning when necessary and monitoring oxygen saturation. Auscultating lung fields and elevating the head of bed should also be undertaken (Fields, 2008). Uneven chest movement is expected owing to distress caused by moving chest wall. Elevating the head bead will help in lowering the diaphragm and enhancing chest expansion.
Nutrition
Imbalanced nutrition should also be assessed. Based on the case study, a nurse is expected to implement nil by mouth and intravenous plug patency (Simmons, 2010). Hydration is expected owing to nil by mouth intervention. When experienced, oral fluids should be administered.
Risk of fall
To minimize the likelihood of fall, a nurse should educate the patient on how to sit and sleep on the hospital bed. Similarly, the patient should be admitted near the nurses’ counter for easy monitoring.
Risk of infection
Nurses should be on the frontline in designing and executing policies, which enhance effective oral care supplies, accessibility to supplies, and safety measures that ensure patients are safeguarded from nosocomial infection. Intravenous plug care should also be administered (Bingham, 2010). Similarly, the patient should be encouraged to sit up in bed. Through this, pneumonia will be prevented from deteriorating.
Medication
Administer fever, vomiting, and diarrhea drugs. Similarly, antibiotics and mucolytic and analgesic drugs should be given to the patient. The drugs will help in lessening bronchospasm and deployment of secretions (Doenges, 2010). Analgesics will boost cough effort by reducing discomfort. The drug should be used vigilantly since it can reduce cough effort and lower respirations. Thereafter, a nurse should monitor the effectiveness and side effects of these medicines.
References
Adamec, C. (2011). Pneumonia. New York, NY: Chelsea House.
Bingham, M. (2010). Implementing a Unit-Level Intervention to Reduce the Probability of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia. Nursing Research, 59(2), S40-S47.
Doenges, M. (2010). Nursing care plans. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Co.
Fields, L. (2008). Oral Care Intervention to Reduce Incidence of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in the Neurologic Intensive Care Unit. Journal Of Neuroscience Nursing, 40(5), 291-298.
Simmons, S. (2010). Recognizing and preventing Mycoplasmal pneumonia. Nursing, 40(3), 53-56.