Understanding the Disease: Respiratory Failure

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Respiratory failure is a condition in which the blood has insufficient oxygen or too much carbon dioxide or both, leading to organ failure among other complications (Gómez et al 2020). Any condition that impedes proper breathing such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis spinal cord injuries, can trigger respiratory failure. In some instances, diseases that affect the lungs such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, COVID-19, etc, can trigger respiratory failure, leading to death. Direct threats and accidents such as smoke inhalation during fires can also cause respiratory failure.
The purpose of this write-up is to briefly consider Respiratory failure and the expected nurse response to such a problem.
Standards of care
In the case that a patient is undergoing respiratory distress and could experience respiratory failure the nurse must take various steps known as the standards of care (Gómez et al 2020). The objectives of the treatments include maintaining a functioning airway to ensure alveoli ventilation and oxygenation as well as treating the main condition causing the problem (Lamba et al, 2016a)
First, a patient displaying acute respiratory distress needs to undergo perfusion in the pulmonary capillary system if possible to increase oxygen movement between the pulmonary capillaries and the alveoli. The nurse must therefore attempt to increase this fluid volume without further endangering the patient. Second, patient positioning influences perfusion, hence the nurse needs to ensure that they are resting in the most reliable position before attempting perfusion. Alternatively, the nurse can use various devices and positioning therapies to ensure the distressed patients’ lungs get sufficient perfusion. Third, the nurse can conduct Protective Lung Ventilation is important to ensure oxygen intake which then reduces the risk of organ failure to oxygen starvation. However, the nurse must use mechanical ventilation sparingly and briefly to avoid damaging the alveoli. Fourth, the nurse needs to adapt a weaning protocol such that if the patient is off full respiratory support then they are immediately weaning and recover...