Nursing care plan for acute asthma exacerbation

Introduction

Nursing care plan for acute asthma exacerbation is a plan of care that nurses use to provide care for clients with respiratory problems such as asthma. Asthma exacerbation is an acute worsening of symptoms caused by triggers such as allergies, infections, or environmental factors. It is the goal of nursing care plans to provide relief of symptoms and prevent the progression of worsening asthma.

Assessment

There are several components of the nursing assessment for clients experiencing an exacerbation of their asthma. The nurse should assess airway patency, breath sounds, and oxygen saturation. Additionally, the nurse needs to assess the client’s level of anxiety and depression as well as their medication history. The nurse should also assess any environmental triggers that may have contributed to the exacerbation.

Nursing Diagnosis

The nurse should then make a nursing diagnosis based on the findings from their assessment. Possible nursing diagnoses related to acute asthma exacerbations include inability to tolerate activity due to dyspnea, impaired gas exchange, and anxiety related to fear of death or complications from attack.

Outcomes

The nurse should develop specific outcomes for the client to meet during the exacerbation. These outcomes can be focused on symptom relief, assessment of triggers, and prevention of complications. Examples of potential outcomes include improved oxygen saturation within normal parameters, understanding of environmental triggers, reduced reliance on rescue medications, and improved ability to participate in daily activities.

Interventions

The nurse should then develop interventions that are tailored to the client’s individual needs. These interventions can be divided into pharmacological, environmental, activity, and psychosocial interventions. Pharmacological interventions would include administering bronchodilator medications, steroids, and oxygen as needed. Environmental interventions would include identifying and eliminating environmental triggers such as dust, pet dander, mold, smoke, and other irritants. Activity interventions would focus on the client reducing their activity level to decrease the severity of their exacerbation, and psychological interventions could include teaching relaxation techniques and providing support.

Rationales

The nurse should explain to the client why each intervention is necessary, so completion of these tasks is more likely. For example, explaining to a client why medications such as albuterol will help open their airways and decrease their symptoms can motivate them to take their medications. Similarly, explaining why avoiding certain environmental triggers can help prevent future exacerbations can help clients to identify the sources and make necessary changes in the home.

Evaluation

The nurse should evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions by checking the client’s oxygen saturation and talking with them about their experience and how they are feeling. If the client is still having difficulty managing their asthma symptoms, the nurse may need to change the care plan or add additional interventions.

Conclusion

The nurse plays a crucial role in helping clients manage their asthma exacerbations by assessing their condition, creating an individualized care plan, and providing interventions to reduce their symptoms and prevent future exacerbations. With the right interventions, clients can live with the condition and have a good quality of life.

FAQs

• What is a nursing care plan for acute asthma exacerbation?
  A nursing care plan for acute asthma exacerbation is a plan of care created by nurses to provide relief of symptoms and prevent the progression of worsening asthma.
• What interventions may be included in an asthma care plan?
  Interventions may include pharmacological interventions such as administering medications, environmental interventions such as identifying and eliminating environmental triggers, activity interventions such as reducing activity level, and psychological interventions such as teaching relaxation techniques and providing support.
• How does a nurse evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions?
  The nurse should evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions by checking the client’s oxygen saturation and talking with them about their experience and how they are feeling.
• Can clients live with asthma if managed properly?
  Yes, with the right interventions, clients can live with the condition and have a good quality of life.
• What are some possible nursing diagnoses related to an exacerbation of asthma?
  Possible nursing diagnoses related to acute asthma exacerbations include inability to tolerate activity due to dyspnea, impaired gas exchange, and anxiety related to fear of death or complications from an attack.