ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) Nursing - Pathophysiology, Treatment

ARDS nursing lecture (acute respiratory distress syndrome) with free quiz to help nursing students prep for NCLEX. This lecture will cover ARDS pathophysiology, treatment, symptoms, nursing diagnosis, and more.

What is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)? It’s a type of respiratory failure that occurs when the capillary membrane that surrounds the alveoli sac becomes damaged, which causes fluid to leak into the alveoli sac.

ARDS has a fast onset and tends to occurs in people who are already sick (hospitalized) and usually develops as a complication to a systemic inflammation process occurring in the body.

What can cause the capillary membrane to become more permeable and leak fluid?

This is usually triggered by an event that leads to major systemic inflammation, which can be indirectly damage the capillary membrane or directly damage the capillary membrane.

Indirect (source isn’t the lungs): capillary membrane is INDIRECTLY damaged due to a systemic inflammatory response system (SIRS) by the immune system:

*Sepsis (most common and very poor prognosis for patients who have gram-negative bacteria)
Burns
Blood transfusion (multiple)
Inflammation of the pancreas
Drug overdose

Direct (source is the lungs)….capillary membrane is DIRECTLY damaged

Pneumonia
Aspiration
Inhaling a toxic substance
Significant drowning event
Embolism

This pathophysiology of ARDS is discussed in-depth in this video and features the 3 phases of ARDS (Exudate, Proliferative, Fibrotic Phases)

Signs and Symptoms of ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome):
Tachypnea, refractory hypoxemia (hallmark sign and symptoms), cyanosis, mental status changes, abnormal lungs sounds like crackles in the late stages, tachycardia, respiratory alkalosis that can progress to respiratory acidosis, etc.

Nursing interventions for ARDS include: maintaining respiratory function with mechanical ventilation with PEEP (monitoring for complications of this therapy), pulmonary artery wedge pressure reading (helps to determine if this is pulmonary edema due to ARDS or a cardiac issue), prone positioning, administering medications (inotropics, fluids, corticosteroids, antibiotics, GI drugs to prevent stress ulcers etc.

#ARDS
#Nursing
#NCLEX
#Nurse

Popular Playlists:

[RegisteredNurseRN]

Hey Everyone! I'm so excited to have this video for you all! I know MANY have requested it. Don't forget about:

[desloar]

I am in my last semester and I can honestly say I don't know how I would have made it to this point without you. You help so many people, not only by being a nurse, but also an educator. Thank you for taking on the role of both.

[ronaldmuir]

I survived ARDS in 2015. I was in a coma for 8 days while on a ventilator and in a rotoprone bed. It actually spins you around like a rotisserie. It is used to keep your upper lobe from filling up with fluids. I have no memory of any of it. They initially told my wife I would not make it. Thank God for the wonders of modern medicine and thank you for your explanation and teaching

[daisyvargas]

Honestly I learned more in your 25 minute video than my professor's 1 hour lecture. You simplify everything and touch on the key points! Thank you for your help 💜. Just curious, are you a nurse educator? You seem perfect for the role.

[BarbaricEricX]

Sarah, what can I say??? You have been so important to so many people. You have really created change in this world with your hard work, compassion and teaching. What a kind and giving person you are. I can't begin to imagine the tens of thousands of patients whose lives you have helped through the thousands of nurses you have taught. We can never thank you enough. My very best to you and your family.

[duffkw]

I have worked as a Registered Respiratory Therapist for 26 years now, I really have to tip my hat to you and all the future Nurses. This is great learning material, we didn't have the "WEB" back in the day, we had to cram and read and cram again. Great presentation and "I" personally thank you. Salute to you all. Ken BS RRT-RRT II

[chandra]

I am telling you that God is watching over me and you, I am in my last semester of Nursing and I am taking advanced med-surge. This was the topic for the first lecture and while i understood it somewhat, you really connected the dots. I wish I can meet you in real life to hug you, you have gotten through every last one of my semesters and every time I say to myself God I hope she covers this topic you post it weeks later. You deserve half of my degree but I would not have made it without you

[Kim-oulc]

You learn all this during your ICU. This is amazing

[imwithpeedee]

Former ARDS patient here!! Thank you for this video. I really appreciate learning what exactly was happening inside of me.

[aca_]

Hi Sarah,
I wanted to stop here and let you know that I just became CCRN certified today, and you were the first person I wanted to thank. You helped me tremendously in my studying and I am so grateful to you. I PASSED! WOOHOO
<3
Allie

[mariamasesay]

Im graduating this December because of

[laurenstiles]

Please make a ventilator video! This video was so helpful!

[dorisacuna]

Hello Sarah! You're truly a treasure to all of us Nursing students and current Nurses i'm sure. You are able to explain and make complicated material so much easier to grasp. Honestly every single Nursing school in the country should be giving you a percentage of their profits because I am sure you have gotten about 99% of all Nurses through school! Continue to do the amazing work you do for us all, and whenever I am stuck on a topic i will be running back to you!!! Many blessing and love your way!!

[loriweeks]

You are a lifesaver! I read my nursing books and go immediately to your lecture for every topic. I would not make it through nursing school without you!

[torismith]

I know you see this comment more than you can appreciate however, due to covid, my last semester on RN school is online. We don't get good lectures.. our instructors read us a power point for 3 hours and that is it. THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge and being so in depth. <3

[sarahlomeli]

This video helped me understand ARDS. I could grasp it before and now it’s basically like a light turned on. Literally said “ohhhh now I get it” multiple times! Thank you so much

[hkfuwyy]

I’m a respiratory therapy student and this was very helpful to me, huge thank you💁🏻‍♀️💁🏻‍♀️💁🏻‍♀️💁🏻‍♀️

[zeinabghamlouch]

i just wanna meet you and give you a big big big hug for all that you've done for me. thank you so much. i am only a minute in and i had to pause to leave this comment because you never fail to explain every topic clearly and i'm just so grateful for you. i got a 68% on my first pathophysiology exam but then i started watching your videos to prepare for my 2nd exam and i bumped up to a 91%!! you are a life saver

[simonbyrd]

This is about to become very important

[albertawoods]

This is so interesting. I was in the hospital for 3 months. I was in a coma for 35 day's. I am so thankful god was with me. When i woke up i surprised everyone. ( Doctors, Nurses and family.. And im finally home with my kids..