Nursing Education Site
Respiratory Nursing Diagnoses & Care Plans
Respiratory disorders are a major focus in NCLEX prep and clinical practice, and nurses must rapidly identify breathing problems and plan safe, effective care.
This page brings together our respiratory nursing diagnoses and care plans so you can quickly find assessment cues, nursing interventions, and rationales for the most common pulmonary conditions.
How to use this respiratory care‑plan guide
Start with the list of individual respiratory diagnoses and care plans below (COPD, asthma, pneumonia, ARDS, mechanical ventilation, pleural effusion, etc.).
Open each care plan to review: definition, causes, signs and symptoms, nursing assessment findings, priority interventions with rationales, and expected outcomes.
Use the examples as a study guide for NCLEX and as a reference when developing care plans in clinical settings.
Respiratory nursing diagnoses included:
Pneumothorax occurs when air enters the pleural space between the chest wall and lung, disrupting the negative pressure necessary for normal breathing. The severity of this condition can vary from a small, spontaneously resolving air pocket to a tension pneumothorax requiring immediate intervention. Types of Pneumothorax Spontaneous Pneumothorax Traumatic Pneumothorax Tension Pneumothorax Nursing Assessment Subjective … See Nursing Diagnoses
Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, is a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life. This nursing diagnosis focuses on identifying causes, assessing symptoms, and implementing interventions to improve respiratory function and patient comfort. Causes (Related to) Dyspnea can result from various physiological and psychological factors: Signs and Symptoms … See Nursing Diagnoses
Pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot lodges in one or more pulmonary arteries, blocking blood flow to portions of the lung. If not identified and treated promptly, this blockage can lead to life-threatening complications. Most commonly, these clots originate from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the legs. Key Clinical Manifestations Common signs and symptoms … See Nursing Diagnoses
Lung surfactants are complex mixtures of lipids and proteins that reduce surface tension in the alveoli of the lungs. These vital substances are essential for normal breathing and are particularly crucial in treating respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in premature infants. Generic names: Beractant, Poractant alfa, Calfactant, Lucinactant Brand names: Survanta, Curosurf, Infasurf, Surfaxin Pharmacologic class: … See Nursing Diagnoses
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. These Pertussis nursing diagnoses focus on identifying and treating pertussis symptoms, preventing complications, and managing the characteristic paroxysmal cough that defines this condition. Causes (Related to) Pertussis affects patients through various mechanisms and risk factors that influence its severity and … See Nursing Diagnoses