This week’s topic  is :  The case of  “I can’t catch my breath”

John, a healthy twenty-eight year old electrical engineer, was driving home from work one evening when he experienced sudden stabbing pain in his right pectoral and right lateral axillary regions. He began to feel out of breath and both his respiratory rate and heart rate increased dramatically. As luck would have it, John passed a hospital each day on his way home and was able to get himself to the hospital’s emergency room. The emergency room physician listened to John’s breathing with a stethoscope and requested blood gas analysis and a chest x-ray. John answered a few of the doctor’s questions. The doctor noted that John had no history of respiratory problems but was a heavy smoker.

After viewing the chest radiograph, the doctor informed John that he had experienced a spontaneous pneumothorax, or what is commonly called a collapsed lung. The doctor explained that a hole had opened in John’s right lung and that this hole had allowed air to leak into the cavity surrounding the lung. Then, as a result of the lung’s own elastic nature, the lung had collapsed. The doctor said he could not be certain of the cause of thepneumothorax, but smoking cigarettes had certainly increased the likelihood of it happening. He told John he was fortunate the pneumothorax was small, which meant that relatively little air had escaped from the lung into the surrounding cavity, and it should heal on its own. He instructed John to quit smoking, avoid high altitudes, flying innon pressurized aircraft, and scuba diving. He also had John make an appointment for a re-check and another chest x-ray.

Case Background

Spontaneous pneumothorax occurs when a blister on the surface of the lung opens, allowing air from the lung to move into the pleural cavity. This occurs because alveolar pressure is normally greater than the pressure in the pleural cavity. As air escapes from the lung, the lung tissues will recoil, and the lung will begin to collapse. The lung will continue to collapse until the difference between the alveolar pressure and pleural pressure disappears or until the collapsing of the lung causes the opening to seal.

The pneumothorax decreases the efficiency of the respiratory system, which in turn results in decreased blood oxygen concentration, increased respiratory rate, and increased heart rate. If the pneumothorax is small, the air that escapes into the pleural cavity can be reabsorbed into the lung once the opening has sealed shut. If thepneumothorax is large, a needle or chest tube may have to be inserted into the pleural cavity to draw the air out and allow for the re expansion of the lung.

Utilizing the med terms you learned this week answer the following questions

Why was John instructed to avoid high altitudes and flying in non pressurized aircrafts?

That is, what are the effects of high altitudes and or decreased air pressures on the respiratory system.

Here are the discussion board requirements.

• The initial discussion post must be at least 250 words of content, referencing the reading of the week, and include a scholarly source.
• classmates. 
• Plagiarism of any kind will result in a “0”.

Write a 2–4-page report on the concepts, processes, and tools needed to conduct a community health assessment, how to find the data, and how to validate the data. Explain the factors that can affect the health of a community, along with how to obtain that information.

Understanding community and state health care issues and concerns, the local resources available, and accessibility of those resources can inform health care practices and improve quality patient outcomes.  

Questions to Consider 

To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community.

• What types of techniques and activities should be included in a community health assessment?
• How can these techniques and activities help determine both assets and gaps in health care services in a community?

Assessment Instructions :

Imagine you work for an organization that has decided to open a satellite facility in an underserved community. Your organization asks you to move to the new location and assist with some of the preliminary work. Part of this work is to determine the health care needs of the community. How will you do this? What information will you need to know? Where will you find the information?

Preparation

Search the Capella library or the Internet for peer-reviewed journal articles on how to conduct a community health assessment. You will need at least 3 resources to use in this assessment.

Directions

Develop a plan for a community health assessment in which you complete the following:

• Describe the type of data needed to make an informed community health assessment.
• Explain how the data will help determine the health care needs of the community.
• Describe your strategy for obtaining the necessary data.
• Explain the factors that impact the health and wellness of a community. (Hint: This is a very broad list. Think outside the box on this one!)
• Explain how you will obtain information on these factors for your specific community.
• Explain how you will determine if the data and information you obtain is valid and reliable.
• Format this assessment as a report that you would submit to a director or other organizational leader. You are still required to follow APA guidelines for in-text citations and references.

Additional Requirements

• Include a title page and reference page.
• Ensure your assessment is 2–4 pages in length.
• Use double-spaced, 12-pt., Times New Roman font. (Recommended)