Pneumonia: Nicotine and Respiratory Health

Topic Selected The topic of pneumonia is appropriate for a teaching plan for the older adult population due to the fact that older adults are at risk for acquiring pneumonia.
Description of the Teaching Plan The learning objectives for this teaching plan are health promotion and prevention. As nurses it is important to promote good health and prevent disease. One goal for this teaching plan is that students will be able to promote respiratory heath in their patients. Another goal is that students will be able to learn how to prevent pneumonia in their patients. One intervention to promote health is to know who is at risk. Nurses need to know how to recognize who is at risk for pneumonia. Patients at risk for developing pneumonia are “the very elderly, smokers, and those with chronic lung disease or any severe illness or injury, such as severe head trauma, chest trauma, or shock. Other risk factors include diabetes, alcoholism, malnutrition, history of antibiotic or corticosteroid use, decreased levels of consciousness, immunosuppression, poor oral hygiene, and elevated gastric pH. Early ambulation after surgery, use of an incentive spirometer, and adequate fluid intake all promote respiratory health. Specific interventions to reach the second goal are the nurse should discuss the effects of smoking and second hand smoke on health. Explain the importance of smoking cessation and avoiding excessive alcohol intake. Patients at risk should be taught to avoid contact with others who have upper respiratory infections. If patient is a smoker or uses tobacco products the nurse should ask if they are interested in learning how to quit. Nurses should discuss ways to quit smoking such as nicotine replacement therapy and stop smoking classes. It is also important to encourage patients to discuss options with the doctor, healthcare provider, pharmacist, or smoking cessation coordinator. Early ambulation after surgery and use of an incentive spirometer also decrease the risk for pneumonia. Keeping the head of the bed elevated elevated 30 to 45 degrees can also prevent aspiration pneumonia. Nurses should also discuss with the patient the importance of maintaining good standards for personal hygiene and grooming. Prevention of pneumonia focuses on recognizing and modifying risk factors. These include the immunization rate, potentials for cross-transmission of pathogens and and the potential for development of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria from widespread empiric use of antimicrobial therapy. Elders should be vaccinated against influenza by December of each year if they are not allergic to eggs or previous influenza vaccine.
Evaluation
What I learned is that pneumonia is the second most common type of infection patients acquire in the hospital. Due to the physiological effects of aging the elderly population is at an increased risk for developing pneumonia. It is also a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Developing pneumonia increases hospital stay and costs about $1.3 billion in hospital charges. Due to the fact that the elderly population is increasing is it extremely important for nurses to understand how to promote health and prevent disease in their elderly patients. After completing this teaching plan I feel confident in my ability to promote respiratory health in my patients and prevent them from acquiring pneumonia.