Gonzalez Joanna is a 43-year-old female brought to the Emergency Department by her neighbor. She has a history of asthma since childhood with multiple emergency visits within the last year. She appears to be in respiratory distress, struggling to breathe. She is unable to speak other than simple one-word statements. She repeats: “breath, breath, breath….” An infusion of normal saline has been started at a keep-open rate.

Clinical Scenario:

Location: Emergency Department

Gonzalez Joanna is a 43-year-old female brought to the Emergency Department by her neighbor. She has a history of asthma since childhood with multiple emergency visits within the last year. She appears to be in respiratory distress, struggling to breathe. She is unable to speak other than simple one-word statements. She repeats: “breath, breath, breath….” An infusion of normal saline has been started at a keep-open rate.

Patient Details

Patient data: Female. Age 43 years. Weight 99 pounds (45 kg). Height 61 inches (1.55 meter). Religion: Catholic. Status: Single. Past medical history: Diabetes, Diverticulitis, GERD, Hyperlipidemia

Provide answers to the following questions. Use your clinical knowledge and imaginations to do so.

1- What assessment findings would indicate that the patient’s condition is worsening?

2- She develops a rapid onset of shortness of breath, what are the nurse’s immediate priorities? Explain your answer

3- Lab orders are given for Gonzalez Joanna and which laboratory results do you anticipate to be abnormal, and discuss how this relates to her clinical presentation and the disease process.

4- What communication techniques are important for an extremely anxious patient who is having difficulty breathing?

5- What patient teaching priorities would be important for the patient who has experienced an acute exacerbation of asthma?

6- What resources would you recommend for the patient experiencing asthma?