Acute Respiratory Failure
Address acute respiratory failure concepts. Please review the rubric to ensure you have met the assignment criteria. The expected length of the paper is approximately 4-5 pages, which does not include the cover and references page. Please use the following format to draft your paper:
1. Introduction (including purpose statement)
2. Describe the pathophysiology of acute respiratory failure.
3. Describe methods for assessing the patient with acute respiratory failure.
4. Discuss medical management of the patient with acute respiratory failure.
5. Formulate a plan of care for the patient with acute respiratory failure.
6. Conclusion (this may be one short paragraph)
Sample Solution
The respiratory system provides oxygen to and removes carbon dioxide from the body; however, the inability to perform either or both of these tasks results in respiratory failure. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) occurs when fluid builds up in the tiny, elastic air sacs (alveoli) in your lungs. The fluid keeps your lungs from filling with enough air, which means less oxygen reaches your bloodstream. This deprives your organs of the oxygen they need to function. The pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome is marked by inflammation-mediated disruptions in alveolar-capillary permeability, edema formation, reduced alveolar clearance and collapse/derecruitment, reduced compliance, increased pulmonary vascular resistance, and resulting gas exchange abnormalities due to shunting and ventilation-perfusion mismatch.
