Nursing care study

Nursing care study

Introduction

Scientific and social changes of the 21st century have brought as radical change in the Health care delivery system . Nursing is an important component of the health care delivery system and the role of a nurse in patient welfare has no boundaries for praise . The Nursing profession has evolved through time to establish a firm role in the medical domain based on strong ethical , moral and professional principles . The nursing practice has undergone a positive shift from that of a vocation to a professional status today . That

is to say nursing has a more active role to play in the health care delivery system than the past and nursing as a profession is `Accountable today . Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing who established the nursing philosophy based on health maintenance and restoration . The civil war (1860-65 ) enhanced the growth of nursing in United States and the two World Wars saw the nobility of the nursing practice

The patient in this case was admitted for an acute exacerbation of COPD with the following three complications 1 . Atelectasis 2 . Anxiety and 3 . Cor pulmonale . Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD , also known as chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD , is a term used to describe progressive lung diseases , which include emphysema , chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma . The common symptoms of COPD are progressive limitations of the airflow into and out of the lungs and shortness of breath . Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are closely related and patients with COPD may have both , which affects lung function , preventing the lungs from bringing oxygen

to the body and getting rid of carbon dioxide . Some cases with COPD may also have an "asthma-like " or reactive component . Emphysema involves destruction of the alveoli in the lungs . Chronic bronchitis is characterized by a chronic cough and mucus production

Although , smoking is the main cause of COPD , other environmental and industrial pollutants also contribute to COPD even in non-smokers Passive cigarette smoke also contributes to acute respiratory symptoms and COPD . The other major causes of COPD include occupational dusts and chemicals vapors , irritants and toxic fumes . Respiratory infections in early childhood also contribute towards reduced lung function and increased respiratory problems in adulthood , leading to COPD .A rare inherited form of emphysema , known as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency also causes COPD . Emphysema is the progressive destruction of the alveoli that perform the lung 's basic function of exchanging oxygen in the air for carbon dioxide in the cardiovascular system . Thus , the alveoli are unable to completely deflate after inflation and unable to fill with fresh air . Although Emphysema is irreversible , the disease can be managed through medications , exercise and good nutrition . In emphysema due to smoking , the bronchioles that join the alveoli are damaged and the walls lose elasticity leading to formation of pockets of dead air in the damaged lung areas reducing the ability to exhale reducing normal lung function . Though Inhalation is not impaired in the early stages , oxygen and carbon dioxide levels are abnormal...