(^92) Medical-Surgical Nursing Demystified
- Dry cough due to irritation within the lungs
- Frequent respiratory infections due to changes within the lung, increasing
susceptibility to infection - Respiration greater than 20 breaths per minute (tachypnea) due to decreased
vital capacity - Rales or crackles when listening to breath sounds
INTERPRETING TEST RESULTS
- Chest x-ray to reduce chance of illness. Lungs show linear opacities, irreg-
ular opacities. Opacities are increased tissue density on the lung indicating
fibrosis or pleural plaque. - CT scan shows opacities indicating increased tissue density of fibrosis or
pleuralplaque. - Arterial blood gas shows decreased oxygen due to restrictive pattern of
respiration. - Pulse oximetry shows decreased pattern.
- Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) shows a restrictive pattern, decreased vital
capacity.
TREATMENT
There is no specific treatment for asbestosis, nor is there a cure.- Flu vaccine and pneumoccocal vaccine to reduce chance of illness.
- Oxygen therapy (1 to 2 liters per minute) to ease breathing discomfort by in-
creasing available oxygen to meet body’s needs. - Administer antibiotics for exacerbations of respiratory symptoms—to treat
infectious process based on results of culture and sensitivity study or
empirically.
NURSING DIAGNOSES
- Fatigue
- Impaired gas exchange
- Imbalanced nutrition: less than the body requires