RESPIRATION

RESPIRATION

IT  is the processs of interchange of gases between the air and the blood present in lungs.The gases exchanged are oxygen and carbon dioxide.Oxygen is taken up by RBC of blood in lung alveoli and carbon dioxide is released to be expelled by expiration.

The up and down movements of chest wall during inspiration and expiration varies in healthy condition and in diseases condition.Also in normal healthy condition.It varies during rest and after physical exercise or during various excitement.The counting of rate of respiration is a part of nursing job.

 PROCEDURE FOR COUNTING RESPIRATION RATE

• The procedure need not be told to the patient like other procedure.
• The respiratory rate can be counted while the patient is setting or lying.
• Place the fingers in the wrist as if you are counting the pulse.but do not make enough pressure to feel pulse.the arm may be laid across the chest.
• Count the rise or fall of chest or abdomen for one minute.
• You may stand by the side of patient and count the respiration movements of chest or abdomen.
• Record the rate of respiration ,rhythm or character of respiration in the chart.
• If there is gross abnormality in any of character of respiration alarming the patient,s condition,the senior nurse or attending doctor should be intimated immediately.

Observation to be made while counting respiratory movements

• Rate and regularity.
• Depth and volume of respiration.
• Abnormal respiratory sound or wheeze.
• Colour of the patient cynosed or not.
• Movements of accessary muscles of respiration like sterno-mastoid and seratus muscle of abdominal wall.
• Movement of alae nasi or nostrils as in pneumonia.
• Difficulty in breathing or painful breathing.
• Each inspiration and expiration makes one count of respiration rate.

TYPES OF RESPIRATION

The types of respiration may be classified depending on rate and volume and on some special characterestics of respiration.Various in rate;Slow respiration rate, usually encountered in coma,cereberal conditions,opium addicts and morphine over dose.rapid respiration is commonly found in lobor pneumonia,pleurisy with or without effusion,various fever and haemorrhagic condition.

1.   various in volume or depth of respiratin

shallow respiration -(rapid)commonly seen in shock and other lung diseases.
deep respiratin (slow) is commonly seen in air hunger.

2.other variants of respiration

These are special types of respiration encountered in specific diseases condition of lungs or others parts of body.

1. chyne stoke respiration 
2. biot type respiration
3. sighs
4. stridor respiration 
5. wheezing
6. apnoea
7. dyspnoea
8. orthoponea
9. hyperopnea
10. asphyxia