Breathing Exercises
Purpose To standardize the re-training of patients to use respiratory muscles efficiently when their inefficient use is due to disease or trauma.
Policy Respiratory Care Services will instruct the patient in exercises to prevent or lessen the pulmonary complications due to inefficient use of the respiratory muscles due to disease, trauma, surgery, drugs, or rib cage restrictive condition (including obesity and pregnancy).
Accountability/Training
A Licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner trained in the procedure will instruct the patient, the family, and/or available medical personnel in the proper exercises as specified in the written order. The patient will receive supervised instruction as needed by the RCS personnel until able to perform exercises adequately without supervision or until the circumstances necessitating breathing exercises have been eliminated. Training must be equivalent to the minimal entry level in Respiratory Care Service with age specific requirement of patient population recognition.
Physician's Order • A written physician's order is required. Order must specify which exercises are desired.
• Nursing staff will perform cough and deep breathe unless physician's order specifies therapy to be performed by RCS.
Goals • To strengthen the abdominal muscles and diaphragm.
• To decrease the use of the accessory muscles of respiration.
• To decrease the work of breathing.
• To increase the efficiency of breathing.
• To increase thoracic cage mobility and tidal volume.
• To assist in removal of secretions.
• To increase chest wall compliance.
• To increase exercise tolerance.
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