Pneumonia is a common yet extremely serious disease that can be caused by a number of reasons. The disease affects the lungs in an adverse way and can cause serious damage if not catered to immediately.

The primary function of the lungs is to aid the respiration process and hence control the amount of oxygen traveling to blood. As can be easily understood that any disruption to this process can be dangerous and in extreme cases, fatal. Let us try to understand, in the simplest terms, how exactly the lungs work.

The human lungs are porous organs located on either side of the chest. The windpipe takes the air we inhale to the lungs by means of tubular structures known as bronchi. These bronchi keep getting smaller and smaller in size (called bronchioles) and finally end in the bunch of air sacs. These air sacs are technically known as alveoli and are the part of the lung, responsible for absorbing oxygen into the blood and extracting carbon dioxide from the blood to be exhaled.

Now that we have understood how critical this entire process is for human life, let us relook at pneumonia in a slightly more detailed manner. Pneumonia is the filling up of the air sacs with liquid (cough or pus), disrupting the normal breathing. This happens due to an infection, which can be caused by multiple reasons. This is why a comprehensive nursing care plan for pneumonia is a must.

How can you identify that someone has pneumonia? The disease in itself ranges from minor to major to critical. So do the symptoms. The age ranges more susceptible to these infections are

1. Children less than 2 years of age
2. Senior citizens above 65 years of age

Some of the common symptoms of pneumonia are

1. Cough
2. Tiredness
3. Trouble in coughing, including chest pain
4. Fever and Shivering
5. Body temperature falling lower than normal (typically the case with seniors)
6. Difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath
7. Confusion and difficulty in mental awareness (generally the case with senior citizens)
8. For newborn babies, the symptoms may not be very obvious. They may be restless or vomit

So should you see a doctor for any of these reasons? As is obvious, most of the symptoms are common to that of influenza and you may still need to see a doctor for that. However, if you see any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor as soon as possible

1. Difficulty in breathing
2. Persistent cough, especially if you can see us
3. Constant fever of 102oF or above

This is one of the diseases where early diagnosis and treatment can be the difference between life and death, especially in the case of senior citizens having other chronic problems like heart failure and lung issues. Thus, speaking to your health care provider and ensuring that a proper nursing care plan for pneumonia is in place, is extremely critical.

Knowing so much about the disease, the obvious question would be how is it caused? Pneumonia is broadly classified into the following types based on how the patient acquired the infection

• Hospital Acquired Pneumonia – This is the type of pneumonia that the patient acquires when visiting a hospital or being hospitalized for any other ailment. This can be serious in nature since the bacteria causing the infection would have become resistant to the antibiotics. There is a higher risk for patients who are in the intensive care units, especially on a ventilator, since their respiratory system is already weak and at a higher chance of catching the infection. Hence, the nursing care of patients with pneumonia becomes even more difficult.
• Community-Acquired Pneumonia – This is the second and more common type of Pneumonia, which is acquired by people who are not in any contact with a hospital. This can be caused by any of the multiple organisms like
• Virus – The cause for this type of pneumonia are the viruses that are also responsible for cold and flu. It generally impacts children and is mild. However, in certain scenarios, it may turn serious and critical.
• Bacteria – The most common type of Pneumonia is caused by bacteria and can occur anytime. Having the flu or any other kind of disease is not required for this type of Pneumonia. Bacterial pneumonia may impact only one of the lobes of the lung and not necessarily both.
• Fungi – This is a completely different type of pneumonia, where the most susceptible are people who have a weakened immune system, which may have occurred due to any reason. This typically occurs when the patient comes in contact with and inhales large quantities of the fungi, for example being carried in bird droppings.
• Aspiration Pneumonia – The third and slightly less type of pneumonia occurs when the patient inhales food, fluids or other contents into the lungs. This is the type which is not communicable, instead occurs due to smoking or alcohol habits.
• There are so many types of pneumonia and different factors causing the same. Yet, there are certain parameters, basis which some people are more at risk than others. Generally speaking, anyone having a habit that weakens the immune system becomes prone to the disease. Below is a list of people who may be at a higher risk

1. Those having smoking and drinking habits weakening their lungs and the immune system
2. Those suffering from malnutrition
3. Those having other chronic ailments that result in the immune system being weakened, like AIDS
4. Those who have been hospitalized recently and are in the Intensive Care Unit
5. Those who are exposed to certain chemicals or pollutants as part of the job

As there is a lot of care required for a patient having pneumonia, it is recommended that they should be attended by trained nurses during the illness. A trained nurse can help in many ways that a family member may not be able to. Some of the activities that the nurses are trained in to help the patients of pneumonia are

1. Carry out a respiratory assessment to identify the issues
2. Help stabilize the body temperature – assist in increasing or decreasing the body temperature depending on the patient’s condition
3. Ensure airway clearance at all times to help the patient breathe
4. Help in nutritional care
5. Ensure proper fluid intake to help the patient’s bodily functions
6. Support in breathing and coughing as well as assist with oxygen supplementing if required
7. Help administer medications in a timely manner
8. Assist with a proper neonatal pneumonia nursing care plan

We at Care24 completely understand your concern for your loved one and the fact that nursing care for pneumonia is not easy. That is why our staff is carefully selected and thoroughly trained to handle any eventuality while caring for your relative. You can contact us over the phone or visiting our facility to talk to our team. Our team will ensure to clarify all your queries and address your concerns about our services.