Respiratory Terminology For Nurses. Self Learn Series 13

Modern Day Intensive care nurses are highly skilled and perform a lot of procedures. This is a small list of respiratory terms all intensive care unit nurses use in everyday applications. The purpose of this article is to give the reader a feel for the work of the Intensive Care Unit Nurse.

Respirtory Rate: The number of breaths the patient takes in one minute. These are counted by the nurse over a period of one minute. It is best done if the patient is not aware that his respiratory rate is being counted.

Tidal volume: The amount of air which enters and leaves the lungs during one regular breath. This is measured with a device called a wrights peak flow meter.

Picture A. Wrights respirometer – A meter used to measure the Tidal and Minute Volumes of a Patient on a Ventilator.

Minute Volume: The amount of air which moves in and out of the lungs over a period of one minute. This is usually calculated by multiplying the tidal volume by the respiratory rate. TV X Resp. Rate = MV.

Peak pressure: The highest pressure needed to inflate the lungs to deliver the set TV.

PEEP: Positive End of Expiration Pressure. A certain amount of positive pressure is always left in the lungs, even at the end of expiration. Very useful when treating the patient with congestive Heart Failure.

Inspiratory sounds: Sounds made when the patient is breathing in.

Expiratory sounds: Chest sounds which are audible when the patient expires.

Cough: Voluntary / Involuntary forced expiration.

Respiratory centre: Part of brain which controls the respiratory rate.

<pCarbon Dioxide Retention: High level of carbon dioxide in blood. In these patients the high PCO2 acts as the stimulus to breathe.

Hypoxia: Low oxygen content. < 90% when measured by pulse oxymtery. This is general term which also implies reduced oxygen to the brain.

Picture B. Normal Heart and Lungs (Human).

Oxygen saturation: Saturation of hemoglobin of blood, usually 100% in fit patients at sea level, lower in ill individuals, smokers and at altitudes.

Dyspnea: Difficulty in breathing.

SOB = Shortness of Breath. Becomes exhausted with respiratory difficulties.

Activity intolerence: To weak to be able to do activities of daily living or move in and out of bed.

Chyne Stoke Respirations: A breathing pattern which begins with short shallow breaths, increase in depth and frequency, reach a peak and then taper off. A short or long pause may follow.

Croup: Inflammation of the respiratory passages, common in children.

Respiratory Arrest: Patient is not breathing. You will need to breathe for the patient.

Apnoea: Absence of breathing.

Desaturating: The amount of oxygen in the patients circulation is falling.

Pulse oxymetery: Measurement of the amount of oxygen in the patients oxygen. This is a non-invasive method.

ABS=Arterial Blood Gases: Blood is taken from an artery and the gases are measured and compared with the normal levels. In the ICU we are looking at the trend following changes made to ventilator setting.

NBP = non invasive blood pressure

IABP=intra-arterial blood pressure, commonly called Arterial pressure.

MAP = mean arterial blood pressure.

Cuff pressure: The amount of pressure in the ET Tube cuff.

Manometer: A device to measure cuff pressure