Comprehensive Adult Respiratory Nursing Notes

Essential clinical nursing vocabulary cards covering assessment, diagnostics, emergency interventions, and pathology across adult respiratory disorders.

Oxygenation

The physiological exchange of $\text{O}_2$ and $\text{CO}_2$ within the bloodstream.

Ventilation

The physical movement and muscular breathing effort required to move air in and out of the lungs.

Tachypnea

An abnormally rapid breathing rate characterized by a respiratory rate greater than $20\,\text{breaths/min}$.

Bradypnea

An abnormally slow breathing rate characterized by a respiratory rate less than $10\,\text{breaths/min}$.

Cheyne-Stokes Respiration

An abnormal breathing pattern characterized by cyclical variations in depth and rate with alternating apneic periods.

Kussmaul Respiration

An abnormal breathing pattern marked by regular, deep, and rapid breaths.

Subcutaneous Crepitus

A crackling tactile sensation felt on palpation resulting from air trapped within subcutaneous tissues.

Tactile Fremitus

Vibrations transmitted through the bronchopulmonary system to the chest wall that are palpable when the client speaks.

Stridor

A high-pitched musical adventitious sound caused by severe upper airway constriction; considered a medical emergency.

Crackles (Rales)

Thin, wet adventitious lung sounds produced by fluid accumulation in the small airways and alveoli.

Rhonchi

Thick, rumbling adventitious breath sounds generated by viscous secretions and fluid in larger airways.

Wheezes

Continuous, musical adventitious lung sounds produced by airflow moving through constricted or narrowed airways.

Hypoxia

Inadequate tissue oxygenation, of which the earliest clinical indicators are restlessness and an elevated respiratory rate.

Bronchoscopy

A diagnostic procedure in which a flexible fiberoptic tube with a light and camera is passed through the nose or mouth into the bronchi; requires verifying the return of gag and cough reflexes post-procedure before administering oral intake.

Thoracentesis

The insertion of a large-bore needle through the chest wall into the pleural space to remove excess fluid, obtain specimens, or instill medication.

Venturi Mask

A high-flow oxygen delivery system that delivers precise fractional inspired oxygen concentrations from $24\%$ to $60\%$ using color-coded adapters at flow rates of $2\text{--}15\,\text{L/min}$.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

A non-invasive ventilation device that delivers positive pressure at a single continuous level throughout the respiratory cycle to keep airways patent.

Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)

A non-invasive ventilation device that delivers two distinct pressure settings, cycling between higher inspiratory pressure and lower expiratory pressure to facilitate ventilation.

Barrel Chest

A structural chest deformity where the anteroposterior-to-transverse thoracic diameter approaches a $1:1$ ratio (compared to the normal $1:2$ ratio) due to chronic hyperinflation and air trapping.

Cor Pulmonale

Hypertrophy of the right ventricle resulting from chronic pulmonary arterial hypertension, which eventually leads to right-sided heart failure.

Pursed-Lip Breathing

A breathing technique taught in COPD that prolongs the expiratory phase, increases airway pressure, and prevents premature bronchiolar collapse.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

A sleep disorder involving recurrent upper airway occlusion during sleep, commonly associated with obesity, leading to nocturnal desaturations and daytime fatigue.

Peak Flow Meter

A portable, handheld device utilized to measure the maximal flow of air exhaled during a forced breath to assess airway obstruction in asthma.

Status Asthmaticus

A severe, prolonged, and life-threatening asthma exacerbation that is unresponsive to conventional bronchodilators and systemic corticosteroids.

Pulmonary Edema

An abnormal fluid accumulation within the alveoli and interstitial lung spaces, classically presenting with dyspnea, crackles, and pink frothy sputum.

Pleural Effusion

The excessive accumulation of fluid in the pleural space between the visceral and parietal pleurae.

Pneumothorax

The presence of air within the pleural cavity causing loss of negative intrapleural pressure and resulting in partial or complete lung collapse.

Tension Pneumothorax

A life-threatening thoracic emergency where trapped air in the pleural cavity causes rising intrapleural pressure, resulting in severe hypotension, tachycardia, and tracheal deviation toward the unaffected side.

Hemothorax

An accumulation of blood within the pleural space, typically following thoracic trauma or surgical injury, requiring chest tube drainage.

Pulmonary Embolism (PE)

The obstruction of one or more pulmonary arteries by a thrombus, fat embolus, or air embolus, impeding pulmonary blood flow.

D-Dimer

A non-specific laboratory blood test that detects fibrin degradation products to evaluate for the presence of active thrombotic processes.

Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter

A vascular filter device placed into the inferior vena cava to mechanically intercept lower extremity thrombi and prevent pulmonary emboli.

CURB-65

A pneumonia severity assessment tool scoring Confusion, Urea ($\text{BUN} > 20\,\text{mg/dL}$), Respiratory rate ($\ge 30\,\text{breaths/min}$), Blood pressure ($\text{BP} < 90/60\,\text{mm Hg}$), and age $\ge 65\,\text{years}$.

Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI)

A non-contagious condition in which a client harbors viable Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms encapsulated in granulomas without displaying clinical illness.

Active Tuberculosis

A contagious mycobacterial infection causing systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, anorexia, weight loss, and a chronic productive cough lasting longer than $3\,\text{weeks}$.

Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Test (PPD)

An intradermal screening test for tuberculosis evaluated at $48\text{--}72\,\text{hours}$ by measuring induration, where $\ge 5\,\text{mm}$ is positive in immunocompromised individuals, $\ge 10\,\text{mm}$ in high-risk groups, and $\ge 15\,\text{mm}$ in persons with no risk factors.