Nursing Vomitting Patient & Supporting Breathing

Question 1

What is emesis?

Answer 1

• vomiting

Question 2

What is haematemesis?

Answer 2

• vomiting that contained blood

Question 3

What is stercoraceous?

Answer 3

• vomiting faecal matter

Question 4

What can cause sickness?

Answer 4

• underlying illness
• toxicity
• foreign body
• allergies
• motion sickness
• vestibular disturbance

Question 5

What is the vomiting action?

Answer 5

• an active expulsion of stomach contents
• nausea and salivation
• diaphragm fixates
• respiration temporarily ceases
• abdominal muscle forcefully contracts
• stomach contents are expelled

Question 6

What is the regurgitation action?

Answer 6

• passive return of undigested food from the oesophagus
• passive return of material in oesophagus, undigested since it has not reached the stomach or intestines yet
• occurs after eating, can be a sign of oesophageal problems

Question 7

What nursing interventions can be carried out for vomiting patients?

Answer 7

• possibly gut rest (refer to vs)
• where infectious disease suspected, isolation nursing
• ensure patient and kennel are not soiled
• comfortable bedding and tlc
• assess hydration levels
• monitor patient for vomiting episodes and signs of nausea

Question 8

How should vomiting patients be monitored?

Answer 8

• use of long and short term goals
• fluid therapy
• frequency of vomiting
• medications being used
• monitoring temp, pulse, rep rate
• urination
• not soiled/cleanliness

Question 9

How should foods be re-introduced?

Answer 9

• vs must clear patient to be fed
• gradually to prevent reoccurrence
• small amount of luke warm water/electrolyte solution every 15 mins
• small meals of light, highly digestible food
• as long as no further vomiting, gradually change to normal diet over minimum of 3 or 4 days

Question 10

What are recommended digestible foods?

Answer 10

• chicken
• rice
• low fat foods
• hills or royal canin recovery diets
• liquid diets

Question 11

How should breathing be assessed?

Answer 11

• normal respiratory rate
• checking oxygenation = pink mucus membranes

Question 12

What is tachypnoea?

Answer 12

• increased respiratory rate

Question 13

What is bradypnoea?

Answer 13

• decreased respiratory rate

Question 14

What is dyspnoea?

Answer 14

• difficulty breathing
• or increased respiratory effort

Question 15

What is apnoea?

Answer 15

• cessation of breathing

Question 16

What is stertor?

Answer 16

-reverse sneezing,

Question 17

What is chenyne-stokes?

Answer 17

• where respiration is abnormal rhythm or rate breathing

Question 18

Normal breath rate for dogs?

Answer 18

10 to 30 breaths per minute

Question 19

Normal breath rate for cats?

Answer 19

20 to 30 breaths per minute

Question 20

Normal breath rate for rabbits?

Answer 20

30 to 60 breaths per minute

Question 21

What are the causes of abnormal respiratory rates?

Answer 21

• pain
• leads, harnesses or exercise
• respiratory distress
• increased neviornemntal temperature

Question 22

What can an abnormal respiratory rate lead to?

Answer 22

• difficulty eating or drinking
• may result in fluid loss
• increased temperature
• mobility is affected

Question 23

What are nursing interventions for patients in respiratory distress?

Answer 23

• providing oxygen with 02 kennels, mask, prongs
• supported sitting or regular turning
• minimal handling and restriction of mouth or chest
• keep environmental temperature cool
• minimise stress
• bed baths, nebulisation or suction to remove excess nasal or oral secretions
• courage for lung secretions

Question 24

How should a patients breathing be monitored?

Answer 24

• respiratory rate
• respiratory effort
• heart rate
• mucous membrane colour
• Sp02 level
• blood gas analysis

Question 25

How should a patients breathing be evaluated?

Answer 25

• efficacy of oxygen supply method
• positional dyspnoea
• environmental temperature/cooling is effective in maintaining normal body temperature
• if sedation was used, how effective
• has altering kennel or patient position helped