Pneumonia Nursing Diagnosis

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung, usually caused by an infection. Three common causes are bacteria, viruses and fungi. You can also get pneumonia by accidentally inhaling a liquid or chemical. People most at risk are older than 65 or younger than 2 years of age, or already have health problems.

If you have pneumonia, you may have difficulty breathing and have a cough and a fever. A physical exam and history can help determine if you have pneumonia. Chest x-rays and blood tests can help determine what is wrong. Treatment depends on what made you sick. If bacteria are the cause, antibiotics should help. Viral pneumonia may get better with rest and drinking liquids.

Preventing pneumonia is always better than treating it. The best preventive measures include washing your hands frequently, not smoking, and wearing a mask when cleaning dusty or moldy areas. There is a vaccine for pneumococcal pneumonia, a bacterial infection which accounts for up to a quarter of all pneumonias.


Pneumonia Signs
  • Classic bacterial pneumonia starts suddenly with shivering fits, fever, pains in the chest and coughing.
  • The cough is dry at first, but in a day or two the person starts to cough up phlegm. The phlegm is usually yellow, bloodstained or rust-coloured.
  • Breathing is typically fast and shallow. The infected person may gasp for air and may even go bluish around the lips and nails due to the lack of air (cyanosis).
  • It hurts to breathe in deeply or cough. This may be a sign that the inflammation has spread to the membrane that covers the lungs (pleurisy).
  • Acute confusional state (more common in the elderly).
  • There may also be a serious outbreak of herpes (cold sores) around the mouth, which shows that your immune system is not now able to defend against the herpes virus.
If you catch a cold, that doesn't seem to go away, or recognise the symptoms mentioned above, it is important to seek medical advice.

Pneumonia Nursing Diagnosis
  1. Impaired Gas Exchange
  2. Risk for Infection
  3. Ineffective airway clearance
  4. Activity Intolerance

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