Respiratory Resources

This article is the second in a two-part series on respiratory assessment. The first article looked at the importance of taking a patient history as part of assessment. This article goes on to address the various stages and techniques involved in physical assessment. It will give an overview of the process, looking at inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation, and provides insight to technique. Integrating the physical assessment outcome with information gained from history-taking is also discussed. Using all of the gathered information and vital signs enables clinicians to process and decide on the patient’s problems. While this two-part series provides an overview of the assessment process, further in-depth training is essential for safe and effective patient outcomes.

When undertaking patient assessment, including assessment of the respiratory system, it is important that general practice nurses (GPNs) use all their senses. Expensive equipment and multiple investigations are useful when assessing a patient’s respiratory function, but the initial assessment can often be undertaken using the senses — hearing, sight and touch — as well as basic equipment, such as a stethoscope. This article, the first part of a two-part series on respiratory assessment, looks at history-taking. The information given should be used as an adjunct to any face-toface teaching of respiratory assessment skills and may provide the novice nurse with an idea of what to expect when undertaking an advanced clinical skills course. The second article in this two-part series will focus on the physical aspects of respiratory assessment.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a relatively rare chronic, progressive lung disease with a poor prognosis. General practice nurses (GPNs) have a pivotal role in supporting patients and their families at all stages of the disease trajectory. This article aims to raise the profile of this terminal lung condition and provide nurses with an introductory understanding of the disease, the diagnostic pathway, and treatment options available for patients. As core members of the multidisciplinary team, GPNs are well-placed to provide access to other healthcare professionals and services who together can improve the lives of patients living with this condition.

This article provides an overview of a collection of diseases collectively known as interstitial lung disease (ILD). The terminology and names have changed over time with an expanding, complex classification. This article discusses some of the more commonly recognised classes of ILD. These conditions are increasingly recognised but provide diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. General practice nurses (GPNs) are ideally placed for early symptom recognition and onward referral to secondary care specialist service for multidisciplinary team discussion, diagnosis and management.

Sometimes it is just so busy in dayto- day practice, that it is hard to find time to reflect or discuss what you really think about a range of issues — perhaps you are inhibited by your colleagues’ knowledge and experience, find speaking out difficult, or are just not confident in your knowledge base.

However, when it comes to caring for patients with respiratory disorders, being able to openly discuss a patient’s treatment pathway with others, as well as seeking out new knowledge and skills, might make all the difference to the level of care you deliver.

Welcome to GPN’s learning zone. By reading the article in each issue, you can learn all about the key principles of subjects that are vital to your role as a general practice nurse. Once you have read the article, evaluate your knowledge on this topic by answering the 10 questions in the e-learning unit; all answers can be found in the article. If you answer the questions correctly, you can download your certificate which can be used in your continuing professional  development (CPD) portfolio as evidence of your continued learning and contribute to your revalidation portfolio.

This article helps to explain how C-reactive protein point-of-care works, and why using this diagnostic kit can help to reduce antibiotic prescribing.