(^116) Medical-Surgical Nursing Demystified
HALLMARK SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
- Shortness of breath due to inflammation within the lungs, impairing gas
exchange - Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) due to inflammation and mucus within the
lungs - Fever due to infectious process
- Chills due to increased temperature
- Cough due to mucous production and irritation of the airways
- Crackles due to fluid within the alveolar space and smaller airways
- Rhonchi due to mucus in airways; wheezing due to inflammation within the
larger airways - Discolored, possibly blood-tinged, sputum due to irritation in the airways or
microorganisms causing infection - Tachycardia and tachypnea as the body attempts to meet the demand for
oxygen - Pain on respiration due to pleuritic inflammation, pleural effusion, or atelec-
tasis development - Headache, muscle aches (myalgia), joint pains, or nausea may be present
depending on the infecting organism
INTERPRETING TEST RESULTS
- Shadows on chest x-ray, indicating infiltration, may be in a lobar or seg-
mental pattern or more scattered. - Culture and sensitivity of the sputum to identify the infective agent and the
appropriate antibiotics. - Elevated WBC (leukocytosis) showing sign of infection.
- Low oxygen saturation on pulse oximetry.
- Arterial blood gas may show low oxygen and elevated carbon dioxide levels.
TREATMENT
Supplemental oxygen is given to help meet the body’s needs. Antibiotics
are given for the most likely organism (empirically) until the sputum culture