What is a priority nursing intervention of a patient with pneumonia

interventions are generally based upon the symptoms that the patient is having. symptoms are determined by the abnormal data you discovered about the patient during your assessment of them. for pneumonia symptoms tend to be along the lines of low grade fever, weight loss, productive cough with foul smelling sputum, an ill appearing patient, dyspnea, tachypnea, tachycardia, rales, diminished breath sounds, bronchial breath sounds, dullness to percussion, tactile fremitus, and egophony. you can get lots of information about pneumonia from the websites posted on this thread:

• http://allnurses.com/forums/f205/med...es-258109.html - medical disease information/treatment/procedures/test reference websites

these old threads might also be of help:

• http://allnurses.com/forums/f205/nur...ne-276459.html- nursing diagnosis help for patient with interstitial pneumonia and mets to bone
• http://allnurses.com/forums/f205/pul...io-273191.html -
• pulmonary tuberculosis-pneumonia pathophysio
• http://allnurses.com/forums/f50/hist...ct-244836.html - histamine effect

maintain oxygenation and tissue perfusion?

you can do that by increasing fluids, encouraging C&DB, giving O2 if neccessary...

airway, breathing, circulation! remember your abc's. the info that daytonite wrote is wonderful. i'd look at the links she posted and read the sticky threads in the student nurses forum. lots of good info.:heartbeat

ABC: 1st things 1st you need to get an O2 sat...that would be your primary nursing intervention and if needed administer oxygen.

ABC's and symptoms patient is exhibiting. If they are super congested and have trouble breathing go for the airway.