A-E Respiratory Assessment: Difference between revisions

No edit summary
m (Text replacement - "[[Chest Physiotherapy" to "[[Respiratory Physiotherapy")
 
(4 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
== A-E Respiratory Assessment ==
<div class="editorbox"> '''Original Editor '''- [[User:Natalie Patterson|Natalie Patterson]] '''Top Contributors''' - {{Special:Contributors/{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}</div>
== Introduction ==
The A-E assessment; Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (ABCDE) approach is a systematic approach to the immediate assessment and treatment of critically ill or injured patients<ref>Thim T, Krarup NH, Grove EL, Rohde CV, Løfgren B. Initial assessment and treatment with the Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (ABCDE) approach. ''Int J Gen Med''. 2012;5:117-121. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S28478</ref>, it has become widely adopted as a way of documenting the assessment of respiratory patients. This systematic approach should allow you to determine if the patient has one of the following problems:
The A-E assessment; Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (ABCDE) approach is a systematic approach to the immediate assessment and treatment of critically ill or injured patients<ref>Thim T, Krarup NH, Grove EL, Rohde CV, Løfgren B. Initial assessment and treatment with the Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (ABCDE) approach. ''Int J Gen Med''. 2012;5:117-121. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S28478</ref>, it has become widely adopted as a way of documenting the assessment of respiratory patients. This systematic approach should allow you to determine if the patient has one of the following problems:
 
* Sputum retention
▫Sputum retention
* Loss of [[Lung volumes|lung volume]]
 
* Increased work of breathing (breathlessness)
▫Loss of [[Lung volumes|lung volume]]
* Respiratory failure
 
Patient groups this approach would be beneficial for are: patients on intensive care or high dependency units, post operation respiratory assessments, patients seen on the ward referred for '[[Respiratory Physiotherapy|chest physio]]' whether or not it is an on call situation.
▫Increased work of breathing (breathlessness)
 
▫Respiratory failure


=== Airway ===
=== Airway ===
Is the airway patent? is it their own?
* Is the airway patent? is it their own?
 
* Occluded/Obstructed: indicated by stridor, hoarse voice, orthopnoea, drooling, dysphagia
Occluded/Obstructed: indicated by stridor, hoarse voice, orthopnoea, drooling, dysphagia
* Are they self ventilating? If not, what is the mode of ventilation? CPAP, BiPAP, Ventilated   
 
Are they self ventilating? If not, what is the mode of ventilation? CPAP, BiPAP, Ventilated   


=== Breathing ===
=== Breathing ===
What is their respiratory rate? Is it regular?   
* What is their respiratory rate? Is it regular?   
 
* Work of breathing, are they using their accessory muscles?  
Work of breathing, are they using their accessory muscles?  
* What are the saturation levels? Are they on any oxygen? How is it delivered.  
 
* Have they had [[Arterial Blood Gases|ABG]]<nowiki/>s? what are the PaO2 and PaCO2 levels?  
What are the saturation levels? Are they on any oxygen? How is it delivered.  
* What did their chest Xray show?  
 
* Chest expansion: is it even  
Have they had [[Arterial Blood Gases|ABG]]<nowiki/>s? what are the PaO2 and PaCO2 levels?  
* [[Auscultation]]: Are there breath sounds throughout? Are there any added sounds e.g. crackles, a wheeze crepitation?  
 
* Palpation: What can you feel? secretions? tactile fremitus. Do they feel hot/cold? compare centrally to peripherally. Is there any Oedema?  
What did their chest Xray show?  
* What is their cough like? Strong or weak? Dry or Wet? productive or unproductive.  
 
* Are they able to expectorate their secretions?  
Chest expansion: is it even  
* Percussion:  
 
[[Auscultation]]: Are there breath sounds throughout? Are there any added sounds e.g. crackles, a wheeze crepitation?  
 
Palpation: What can you feel? secretions? tactile fremitus. Do they feel hot/cold? compare centrally to peripherally. Is there any Oedema?  
 
What is their cough like? Strong or weak? Dry or Wet? productive or unproductive.  
 
Are they able to expectorate their secretions?  
 
Percussion:  


=== Circulation ===
=== Circulation ===
Heart Rate
* Heart Rate
 
* [[Blood Pressure]]
[[Blood Pressure]]
* Skin colour
 
* Sweating
Skin colour
* Urine Output
 
* Blood Sugar levels (BMs)
Sweating
 
Urine Output
 
Blood Sugar levels (BMs)


=== Disability ===
=== Disability ===
Level of consciousness; Alert, Voice, Pain, Unresponsive  
* Level of consciousness; Alert, Voice, Pain, Unresponsive  
 
* Are they sedated?  
Are they sedated?  


=== Exposure ===
=== Exposure ===
Injuries
* Injuries
 
* Are there any surgical wounds? Are these contraindications for any interventions?
Are there any surgical wounds? Are these contraindications for any interventions?
* Do they have any drains? Are they swinging and bubbling
 
* Attachments: Catheter, Arterial line, NG tubes,
Do they have any drains? Are they swinging and bubbling
 
Attachments: Catheter, Arterial line, NG tubes,
 
<ref>Harden, B. Cross, J. Broad, M A. Quint, M. Ritson, P. Thomas, S. Respiratory Physiotherapy; An on call Survival Guide. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier 2009</ref><ref>Respiratory Physiotherapy 2002 98;23 58 Available at https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/respiratory-clinical-archive/respiratory-physiotherapy-21-03-2002/ Accessed 26 August 2020<article>
<ref>Harden, B. Cross, J. Broad, M A. Quint, M. Ritson, P. Thomas, S. Respiratory Physiotherapy; An on call Survival Guide. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier 2009</ref><ref>Respiratory Physiotherapy 2002 98;23 58 Available at https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/respiratory-clinical-archive/respiratory-physiotherapy-21-03-2002/ Accessed 26 August 2020<article>
</article></ref>  
</article></ref>  


=== References ===
== References ==
<references />
<references />
[[Category:Respiratory]]
[[Category:Respiratory]]

Latest revision as of 19:25, 23 April 2021

Original Editor - Natalie Patterson Top Contributors - Natalie Patterson and Kim Jackson

Introduction[edit | edit source]

The A-E assessment; Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (ABCDE) approach is a systematic approach to the immediate assessment and treatment of critically ill or injured patients[1], it has become widely adopted as a way of documenting the assessment of respiratory patients. This systematic approach should allow you to determine if the patient has one of the following problems:

  • Sputum retention
  • Loss of lung volume
  • Increased work of breathing (breathlessness)
  • Respiratory failure

Patient groups this approach would be beneficial for are: patients on intensive care or high dependency units, post operation respiratory assessments, patients seen on the ward referred for 'chest physio' whether or not it is an on call situation.

Airway[edit | edit source]

  • Is the airway patent? is it their own?
  • Occluded/Obstructed: indicated by stridor, hoarse voice, orthopnoea, drooling, dysphagia
  • Are they self ventilating? If not, what is the mode of ventilation? CPAP, BiPAP, Ventilated

Breathing[edit | edit source]

  • What is their respiratory rate? Is it regular?
  • Work of breathing, are they using their accessory muscles?
  • What are the saturation levels? Are they on any oxygen? How is it delivered.
  • Have they had ABGs? what are the PaO2 and PaCO2 levels?
  • What did their chest Xray show?
  • Chest expansion: is it even
  • Auscultation: Are there breath sounds throughout? Are there any added sounds e.g. crackles, a wheeze crepitation?
  • Palpation: What can you feel? secretions? tactile fremitus. Do they feel hot/cold? compare centrally to peripherally. Is there any Oedema?
  • What is their cough like? Strong or weak? Dry or Wet? productive or unproductive.
  • Are they able to expectorate their secretions?
  • Percussion:

Circulation[edit | edit source]

  • Heart Rate
  • Blood Pressure
  • Skin colour
  • Sweating
  • Urine Output
  • Blood Sugar levels (BMs)

Disability[edit | edit source]

  • Level of consciousness; Alert, Voice, Pain, Unresponsive
  • Are they sedated?

Exposure[edit | edit source]

  • Injuries
  • Are there any surgical wounds? Are these contraindications for any interventions?
  • Do they have any drains? Are they swinging and bubbling
  • Attachments: Catheter, Arterial line, NG tubes,

[2][3]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Thim T, Krarup NH, Grove EL, Rohde CV, Løfgren B. Initial assessment and treatment with the Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (ABCDE) approach. Int J Gen Med. 2012;5:117-121. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S28478
  2. ↑ Harden, B. Cross, J. Broad, M A. Quint, M. Ritson, P. Thomas, S. Respiratory Physiotherapy; An on call Survival Guide. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier 2009
  3. ↑ Respiratory Physiotherapy 2002 98;23 58 Available at https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/respiratory-clinical-archive/respiratory-physiotherapy-21-03-2002/ Accessed 26 August 2020<article> </article>
Retrieved from "https://www.physio-pedia.com/index.php?title=A-E_Respiratory_Assessment&oldid=271342"