The respiratory system is our lifeline — delivering oxygen and removing carbon dioxide with every breath. A focused respiratory assessment helps nurses quickly determine if a patient is breathing effectively or showing early signs of distress. In this lesson, we’ll cover how to inspect, palpate, percuss, and auscultate the lungs, giving you the skills to recognize normal sounds, abnormal findings, and urgent red flags.
Video Timestamps:
00:07 Respiratory assessment is crucial for patient care
01:19 Observations during initial assessment
02:28 Capillary refill and skin tone are indicators of blood flow and tissue health.
03:37 Use the 99 method for respiratory assessment
04:41 Perform percussion and auscultation to assess respiratory function
05:44 During osculation, listen for clear lung sounds and any abnormal sounds.
06:46 Key anatomical locations for respiratory assessment
07:52 Identifying key chest landmarks for CPR access
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