Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath

This article covers a sample Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath.

Permalink: https://premiumacademicaffiliates.com/nursing-care-plan-for-elderly-woman-with-shortness-of-breath

premiumacademicaffiates.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is place an order with us.

This essay has been written by a student and not our expert nursing writers. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this essay are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of premiumacademicaffiates.com 

Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath

Patient Demographics

Student: ______ Clinical Site: _________ Date: __________________

Client Initials: __E.D.__ Age: __65_______ Weight: _75.7 kg Height: ___69________in.

Primary Language:_English____ Religion: _LDS, active in church__ Culture: __Retired lives with daughter and son-on law, they are at the bedside off and on throughout the day____________________

Admitting Diagnosis: ___Pneumoia_________________________________________________________

Secondary Diagnosis: __Hypoxia___________________________________________________________

Allergies & Reactions: __No Allergies_______ Code Status: DNR_____ Physician:__Chandler________

History of Present Illness (Please include a detailed description of the present illness including past medical and surgical history-paint a picture) What brought your client to this facility?

Mrs. D is 65 year old Caucasian female presents in the ED for shortness of breath and difficulty taking deep breaths. Past medical hx includes depression, anxiety and MS. Past surgical history includes hernia repair. Patient reports she has 4 children and 3 of them live in other states. Her daughter that lives locally is her primary caregiver. Patient does not smoke “quit 20 years ago and smoked 1 pack a day for 15 years” and she does not drink. She was admitted to the facility 8/4/14 for pneumonia and hypoxia. Patient is unable to take care for self she requires assistance with ADL’s. Patient reports that when she takes a deep breath in, has pain on the right side. Has unproductive cough, decreased lung sounds in all lung fields. Unable to get adequate sleep because of Shortness of breath. Ego integrity vs despair stage of development. Alert and oriented x’s 3. Patient is forgetful when family is in the room. Mood appropriate.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)

Orders/Treatments (include cares/procedures ordered for the patient except for med and labs)

Monitor Vital signs every 4 hours, O2 @ 6 lpm NC to keep O2 above 90%. Can switch to re-breather mask if oxygen saturation requirement is not met. Antibiotics. Telemetry.

Pathophysiology (Include Pathophysiology of the presenting diagnosis at the cellular level – not procedure or surgery –Include treatments as well as relating your “text book” picture to your patient).

Pneumonia- Microorganisms enter the alveolar spaces by droplet inhalation, inflammation occurs, and alveolar fluid increases. As a result, gas exchange is impaired and ventilation decreases as secretions thicke Pneumonia has caused an infection of the lungs. The lungs are made up of small sacs called alveoli, which fill with air when a healthy person breathes. When an individual has pneumonia, the alveoli are filled with pus and fluid, causing fluid into the alveoli causing disruption in gas exchange, which makes breathing painful and limits oxygen intake (Lewis, 2011).(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath) Hypoxia reduction in PO2 below the normal range, regardless of whether gas exchange is impaired in the lung, it is a pathological condition in which the body as a whole or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. When an individual has pneumonia the patient has limited gas exchange which results in hypoxia (Lewis, 2011).(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)

Physical Assessment

Body Systems	Actual or Potential Nursing Diagnosis
General Appearance: 65 year old woman, appears older than stated age
Vital Signs: B/P 128/78 L arm sitting Temp: 99.5 F Tympanic Pulse: 72 bpm Respiration: 18 bpmOximetry: 94 % on 6 lpm n/c Pain Assessment: reports no pain currently. Often has pain 4/10 when coughing. Dull pain that is relieved by sitting up in bed.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)	Ineffective breathing pattern r/t pneumonia Activity intolerance r/t imbalance between oxygen supply and demand.
HEENT: Inspect Head: No Lesions presentVisual Acuity Wears corrective lenses Hearing acuity: No evidence of hearing aids, patient responds to whisper test. Nose: Mucosa is pink and moist. Septum is midline. Nares are patent with no drainage Mouth/Throat: Trachea is midline. Patient wears dentures upper and lower. Oral mucosa is pink, moist with no lesions.Lymph nodes non palpable.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)
Neurological:Orientation: Alert and oriented X’s 3 when in the room alone. When family is in the room the patient is forgetful and often oriented only to self. No acute signs of distress, patient canfollow verbal commands PERRLA Gross Motor sensation is present in all extremitiesSwallow: Gag reflex not assessed, but patient swallows without difficultyCranial Nerves: See previous body systems(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)
Respiratory: Breathing inspection:Respirations 18/min, shallow and even Breath Sounds:Decreased coarse breath sounds auscultated over all lobes Chest expansion symmetric, mildrefractions. No pain or tenderness on palpation. Pain on inspiration Cough:non-productive cough present Oxygen therapy:94% on 6L/min Skin Color:pink, intact, no edema	Impaired gas exchange
Cardiovascular: Edema: No edema present Pulses- Apical 72 bpm regular rhythm, all other pulses 2+ strong bilateralAuscultation: S1 and S2 auscultated. Carotid pulse equal bilateral, no bruits auscultated. Regular rate and rhythm without murmurs.Capillary Refill: < 3 seconds in hands and feet(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)

Gastrointestinal: Inspect abdomen: Soft, non-tender, non-distended upon palpitation. Skin of abdomen free of lesions and rashes. Bowel sounds x4: Active Bowel sounds in all 4 quadrants. Last BM: Last BM was today, normal consistency, patient is in a brief but will ask to go to the bathroom.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath) Diet/Appetite : Mechanical soft diet, needs assistance to eat. Ate 50% of meals today.	Imbalanced nutrition: Less than body requirements related to inability to eat on own
Genitourinary: Catheters: 18 French catheter Quality of Urine: Dark amber urine Continence: incontinent.Voiding Frequency Urgency: without urgency Painful: denies painful urination(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)
Musculoskeletal: ROM, strength upper & lower extremities: Limited ROM in lower extremities. Full ROM in upper extremities. Wheelchair bound Activity Level: Up to chair with assistance.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath) Gait: uneven gait. Will stand and shuffles to try walk.
Integumentary: Skin: pink, warm to touch, turgor rapid recoil,no edema, cyanosis, or clubbing Drains, drainage, dressing: 18 g LEJ ½ NS @ 50cc. Dressing clean, dry intact without redness or swelling. No other dressings or drains noted Pressure Points: Braden scale 14 high risks. Morse fall scale 28 high risk
Emotional/Psychological:  Anxious, angry etc: Patient is very pleasant when she is alone. Appears anxious when family is in the room with her. Appropriate: Appropriate to situation Sleep Patterns: Altered sleep patterns, patient is restless. Nurse reports patient only slept 3 hours last night. Patient states “I am very tired.” Erickson’s developmental stage: Ego vs. Despair(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)	Impaired comfort r/t hospitalizationAnxiety related to change in health status

Related Content:

5 Nursing Care Plans For Bowel Obstruction with Examples

4 Nursing Care Plans for Leukemia with Interventions and Examples

LABS

Lab Test	Patient ValueAdmit Current	Normal Range	Rationale for Abnormal (apply this to YOUR patient)
CBC
RBC			4.1-6.0
Hgb		11.0 (l)	12-18g/dL	Low related to pneumonia and decreased oxygenation (Pagana, 2010)
Hct		33.0 (l)	38-48%	Low related to pneumonia and decreased oxygenation (Pagana, 2010)(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)
WBC		8.0	5.0-10.0
Neutrophils		56.4	55-70%
Lymphocytes		28.0	20-35%
Monocytes		4.2	3-8%
Eosinophils		1.5	1-3%
Basophils		0.7	0.5-1%
Bands			0-11%
Platelets		210	150-400
CMP
Na+		143	135-146mEq/L
K+		2.6 (l)	3.5-5.1mEq/L	Low due to dehydration or other electrolyte imbalance (Pagana, 2010)
Cl-		108	95-105mEq/L
CO2		30	24-32mEq/L
Glucose		103	60-110mg/dL
BUN		13	6-20mg/dL
Creatinine		.7	0.6-1.4mg/dL
Calcium		9.2	8.5-10.5mg/dL
Total Protein		6.1	6.0-8.0g/dL
Albumin		3.9	3.5-5.0g/dL
Alk Phos		90	38-126 U/L
ALT		11	10-35 U/L
AST		15	8-38 U/L
GGT			4-23 U/L
Phosphorus			3.0-4.5 mg/dL
Magnesium			1.3-2.5mEq/L
CRP			<0.8
ESR			0-20mm/hour
PTINR			9.5-12 sec1.0 (normal)2.0-3.0 (therapeutic)
PTT			20-45 sec
LIVER
Total Bilirubin			0.1-1.0 mg/dL
Direct Bilirubin			0.0-0.4 mg/dL
Indirect Bilirubin			0.4-1.0 bg/dL
Ammonia			15-45mcg/dL
CARDIAC
Total Cholesterol			140-200 mg/dL
LDL			60-160 mg/dL
HDL			29-77 mg/dL
Triglycerides			40-190 mg/dL
CK			25-200 U/L
CK-MB			0-7 U/L
Troponin			<0.4
BNP			<100 pg/mL
GASTROINTESTINAL
Amylase			56-190 U/L
Lipase			0-110 U/L
H. pylori			Negative
Stool Occult Blood			Negative
ENDOCRINE
TSH			0.5-5.5uU/mL
T3			800-200ng/dL
T4			4-12ng/dL
Hgb A1c			4-7%
RESPIRATORY
ABG
pH			7.35-7.45
pO2			80-100mmHg
pCO2			35-45mmHg
HCO3			22-26mEq/L
URINALYSIS
pH			4.6-8.0
Specific Gravity			1.01-1.025
Protein			Negative
Glucose			Negative
Ketones			Negative
Bilirubin			Negative
Nitrites			Negative
Leukocyte esterase			Negative
WBC			0-5/hpf
RBC			0.4/hpf
Casts			None to occasional
CULTURES
Urine			No Growth
Stool			No Growth
Wound			No Growth
Blood			No Growth
Sputum			No Growth

As you continue, premiumacademicaffiates.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is place an order with us. (Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)

DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

DIAGNOSTIC TEST	DATE	PATIENT’S TEST RESULTS AND RATIONALE
EKG
X-RAY	8/4/14	CXR single view. Low lung volumes are present. No pneumothorax. Bilateral lower lobe pneumonia
ULTRASOUND
CAT SCAN MI
ULTRASOUND
CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION
ECHO
VENOUS DOPPLER
BRONCHOSCOPY
BIOPSIES
SCOPES (EX. Colonoscopy)
LUMBAR PUNCTURE
EEG
Other:

Related Content: Nursing Plan of Care Concept Map

MEDICATIONS

Drug /Trade & generic /Class	Dosage/route/schedule	Reason for Use	Nursing Consideration
Levaquin/LevofloxacinAnti-infective broad spectrum antibiotic that inhibits DNA into bacteria	750 mg PO daily	Treatment of pneumonia	Obtain C & S prior to therapy, Assess for previous allergic reaction, monitor I & O, assess for diarrhea (Skidmore-Roth, 2013).(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)
Enoxaprin/LovenoxLow molecular heparin with antithrombotic properties	40 mg SC daily	Prevention of clots	Assess coagulation studies, monitor bleeding (Skidmore Roth, 2013).(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)
Tylenol	625 mg Q4hrs prn	Pain or fever	Monitor for S&S of: hepatotoxicity , Do not take other medications containing acetaminophen without medical advice (Skidmore Roth, 2013)(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)
Prozac/fluoxetine hydrochlorideelective serotonin reuptake inhibitor	40 mg PO daily	Depression	Use with caution in the older adult patient, lab tests: periodic serum electrolytes; monitor closely plasma glucose in diabetes, serum sodium level, weigh weekly to monitor weight loss (Skidmore Roth, 2013).
Xanax/alprazolam benzodiazepine	1 mg PO prn	anxiety	Assess anxiety, Monitor BP, Monitor hepatic function and CBC with long time use. Assess mental status (Skidmore Roth, 2013).(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)

Nursing Diagnosis Supported by 3 subjective and/or objective assessment data(AEB or Risk Factors)	Goals (SMART) 1-Short term goal (STG)1-Long term goal (LTG)(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time frame)	Interventions 3 for each diagnosis:assess, monitor, teach/educate, etc.(Must also include frequency)	Rationale Give one reason for each nursing intervention that is performed.	Evaluation Is the STG and LTG met, partially met, not met? Explain progress.
# 1.Impaired gas exchange r/t inadequate airway and alveolar clearance secondary to pneumonia, aeb decreased coarse breath sounds and shortness of breath (Ackley, 2012).	Patient will demonstrate the use of incentive spirometer 10 times every hour by 1 pm. Patient will remain free of respiratory distress and maintain clear lung fields throughout the shift.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)	Assess LOC and distress.Monitor respiratory rate and depth and ease of breathing. Watch for use of accessory muscles and nasal flaring. Teach how to use incentive spriometer and deep breathing exercises.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)	May indicate worsening hypoxia.Indicates if there is a change in respiratory status. Helps open up the airway for ventilation and keeps alveoli open.	Patient is using incentive spirometer, patient is partially meeting goals.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)

Nursing Diagnosis Supported by 3 subjective and/or objective assessment data(AEB or Risk Factors)	Goals (SMART) 1-Short term goal (STG)1-Long term goal (LTG)(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time frame)	Interventions 3 for each diagnosis:assess, monitor, teach/educate, etc.(Must also include frequency)(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)	Rationale Give one reason for each nursing intervention that is performed.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)	Evaluation Is the STG and LTG met, partially met, not met? Explain progress.
# 2.Ineffective breathing pattern r/t pneumonia aeb SOB, shallow breathing, and decreased oxygen saturation levels (Ackley, 2012).	Patient will be able to verbalize understanding of proper deep breathing techniques by 1 pm.Patient will establish normal breathing patterns by discharge.	Assess respiration rate, rhythm, and depth.Monitor deep inspirations to increase oxygenation. Teach appropriate deep breathing, and coughing techniques.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)	Early signs of respirator difficulties.Increase oxygenation. Clears secretions.	Patient is working on deep breathing. Patient demonstrates understanding of deep breathing and coughing to clear lungs. Goals are partially being met at this time.

Nursing Diagnosis Supported by 3 subjective and/or objective assessment data(AEB or Risk Factors)	Goals (SMART) 1-Short term goal (STG)1-Long term goal (LTG)(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time frame)	Interventions 3 for each diagnosis:assess, monitor, teach/educate, etc.(Must also include frequency)	RationaleGive one reason for each nursing intervention that is performed.	Evaluation Is the STG and LTG met, partially met, not met? Explain progress.
	# 3.Impaired comfort r/t hospitalization aeb restlessness, disturbed sleeping patterns, and confusion (Ackley, 2012).	Identify strategies to improve or maintain comfort by 10 am.Maintain an acceptable level of comfort throughout shift.	Assess patients current level of comfort. Enhance feelings between the patient and those providing care. Offer suggestions for improving comfort by breathing to relax and utilize empathy in response to patient’s negative emotions.(Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)	Identifies baseline for patient.To attain the highest comfort, patient must trust those providing care. Helps patient to identify strategies that work for her. Empathy also promotes trust.	Patient is developing trust with the hospital staff. However, when family is present patient does not speak up. Goals are not being met currently.

As you continue, premiumacademicaffiates.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is place an order with us. (Nursing Care Plan for Elderly Woman with Shortness of Breath)

References

Ackley, B. J. &Ladwig, G. B. (2014). Nursing diagnosis handbook: An evidence-based guide to planning care. (10th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.

Jordan Valley Hospital, Electronic medical records, West Jordan UT.

Lewis, S.,Heitkemper, M., Dirksen, S., O’Brien, P., & Bucher, L. (2010). Medical-surgical nursing: Assessment and management of clinical problems (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Elsevier.

Pagana, KathleenDeska,Pagana, Timothy J. (2010). Mosby’s Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests (4thed). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.

Skidmore-Roth, Linda, (2012) Mosby’s Drug Guide for Nurses, with 2012 Update: 9th Edition

Related FAQs

1. How can nurses help patients with shortness of breath?

Patients who suffer from the shortage of breath will need support and care from nurses, thus, building a level of trust between nurses and patients. Much attention and assessment of systemic observation permit the nurse to offer an understanding of how patients manage their health condition.

2. What are the nursing interventions for ineffective breathing pattern?

The following are the therapeutic nursing interventions for ineffective breathing pattern: Place patient with proper body alignment for maximum breathing pattern. A sitting position permits maximum lung excursion and chest expansion. These techniques promotes deep inspiration, which increases oxygenation and prevents atelectasis.

3. Is nursing intervention for the shortage of breath overrated?

Nursing Intervention for the shortage of breath has thus proven to be most helpful in the advancement of victims of a shortage of breath and, therefore, should not be underrated. Patients are more likely to improve with the support and help from nurses.

Read More:

https://premiumacademicaffiliates.com/long-term-harmful-effects-of-smoking/

https://premiumacademicaffiliates.com/patient-care-after-laparoscopic-cholecystectomy-surgery/

All Related Artcles