Nursing Diagnosis for COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) makes it hard for you to breathe. Coughing up mucus is often the first sign of COPD. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are common COPDs.

Your airways branch out inside your lungs like an upside-down tree. At the end of each branch are small, balloon-like air sacs. In healthy people, both the airways and air sacs are springy and elastic. When you breathe in, each air sac fills with air like a small balloon. The balloon deflates when you exhale. In COPD, your airways and air sacs lose their shape and become floppy, like a stretched-out rubber band.

Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of COPD. Breathing in other kinds of irritants, like pollution, dust or chemicals, may also cause or contribute to COPD. Quitting smoking is the best way to avoid developing COPD.

Treatment can make you more comfortable, but there is no cure.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
nlm.nih.gov


Nursing Diagnosis for COPD

1. Ineffective Airway Clearance related to bronchoconstriction, increased sputum production, ineffective cough, fatigue / decreased energy and bronkopulmonal infection.


2. Ineffective Breathing Pattern related to shortness of breath, mucus, bronchoconstriction and airway irritants.


3. Impaired Gas Exchange related to ventilation perfusion inequality.


4. Activity Intolerance related to imbalance between supply with oxygen demand.


5. Imbalanced Nutrition: Less than Body Requirements related to anorexia.


6. Disturbed Sleep Pattern related to discomfort, the setting position.


7. Self-Care Deficit Bathing / Hygiene, Dressing / Grooming, Feeding, toileting related secondary fatigue due to increased respiratory effort and the insufficiency of ventilation and oxygenation.


8. Anxiety related to threat to self-concept, the threat of death, unmet needs.


9. Ineffective Individual Coping related to lack of socialization, anxiety, depression, low activity levels and inability to work.


10. Knowledge Deficit related to lack of information, do not know the source of information.