Careplan question!!!

[sleepy1010]

Hi everyone, I am working on a careplan for my nursing class. The careplan has to have a respiratory diagnosis. My pt was 1 day post op from a L hip replacement. I am thinking of using "risk for ineffective gas exchange related to decreased lung expansion secondary to recent anasthesia" ...but I think that i am wording it incorrectly. Does anyone one have any suggestions? Thanks a lot!!

[BSNNursingStudent]

That would be in relation to being at risk for atelectasis, right? It sounds good to me, but I might also say besides anesthesia, immobility as evidenced by (hip replacement surgery). Just a thought. It sounds good to me, though...I am only second semester so you might ask someone more experienced.

[sleepy1010]

That sounds good too...thanks! i am 2nd year too lol

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

the patient was intubated during surgery and the throat and trachea are usually irritated after. many patients have sore throats from the et tubes. the reason patients are encouraged to deep breathe and cough is because their lungs are underinflated when they are anesthetized. in about 3 days they are going to start moving out huge lumps of thick sputum that accumulated in their lungs during the surgery if the deep breathing and coughing is done faithfully. the diagnosis you are looking for is risk for ineffective breathing pattern r/t the effects of anesthesia.

interventions for this nursing diagnosis is limited to:

• strategies to prevent the problem from happening in the first place
  
• monitoring for the specific signs and symptoms of this problem
  
• reporting any symptoms that do occur to the doctor or other concerned professional