Asthma attacks can be scary for the person who is suffering. With asthma, the airway passage becomes inflamed and narrow. Extra mucus is produced.
The sufferer will experience shortness of breath and will have difficulty in breathing (dyspnea). The person gasps for air and is very fearful which would make the attack worse.
How will you provide help for the asthma sufferer?
Nursing Assistant Skill Scenario: Asthma Attack
Today, we are given the following skill scenario about “Asthma Attack” by our nursing assistant online class teacher. . .
You are caring for Ginny, a 22-year-old college student who was admitted to the hospital with a severe asthma attack. She is being treated with oxygen therapy and medications. Ginny uses her call light frequently and most of the time her requests are for things she can do or obtain for herself.
1. Why do you think Ginny is using her call light to ask for trivial things?
2. What can you do to promote comfort for Ginny and ease her fears?
3. What kind of medications will be used to open Ginny’s airway?
Response and Discussion
Here are my responses to the scenario. . .
1. Why do you think Ginny is using her call light to ask for trivial things?
Asthma is a lung disease that causes obstruction of the airways. During an asthma attack, a sufferer will experience tightness in the chest, coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. The person gasps for air and is very frightened. Fear makes the attack worse. Ginny must be scared and frightened, so she is using her call light so that someone can be with her often in her room.
2. What can you do to promote comfort for Ginny and ease her fears?
I will tell her that she doesn’t have to be fearful because she is in the hospital now and we are taking good care of her. I will reassure her that she is in good hands. She is having oxygen therapy and medications to make her well and she has nothing to worry about. I would probably ask the nurse if it’s OK if I could give her a back rub to help her to relax.
3. What kind of medications will be used to open Ginny’s airway?
Asthma is treated with drugs. Medicating a patient is not within the nursing assistant’s scope of practice. But I will ask the nurse if she can give some medication for Ginny’s airway.
