NUR 4445 Respiratory System Exam 1
- What is the primary cause of hospitalization and cardiopulmonary failure in children?
Answer Respiratory dysfunction
- At what age does the respiratory system fully develop? What do oxygen needs look like for
children and why?
Answer
- Respiratory system grows until age 12 years
- Consume more oxygen due to increase metabolic rate
- Short neck, can result in an occluded airway
- What position optimizes a child's ability to breathe?
Answer "sniffing position"
- Why are children more at risk for respiratory dysfunction (11)?
- Small airways (trachea, lower airway)
Answer
- Fewer alveoli
- Nose, pharynx, & nasopharynx are also smaller
- Infants are nose breathers (until 4-6 months)
- Chest wall is soft & pliable
- Poorly developed respiratory muscles
- Immature immune system
- Hand-to-mouth activity
- Close contact with other children
- Preterm babies lack surfactant
- Decreased oxygen stores
- What does skin color and respiratory effort look like in a child that is expe- riencing
respiratory distress? 1 / 2
Answer
- Color
Pale or cyanosis, especially periorbital
- Respiratory Effort
Retractions, nasal flaring, Cough, sputum (color & consistency), Position of the child (tripod)
- What do we assess in the upper respiratory tract in a pediatric patient (4)?
- Rhinorrhea - color, consistency
Answer
- Nasal passage patency
- Hoarse voice, sore throat
- Oral cavity & pharynx
- What does it mean if baby is crying and the cry get softer or crying stops (they're trying to
cry but can't)?
Answer it means baby is in respiratory distress
- What is a normal O2 sat for pediatric patients?
Answer -O2 sat of 90-95 is fine if child is breathing regularly, still and quiet, if they look okay (no cyanosis) don't touch them
-ALWAYS inspect first
- Can we use an adult O2 sat probe on a pediatric patient?
Answer NO
- For babies of color, where do we look for central cyanosis?
- / 2
Answer