Facial Swelling in a Patient After Bronchoscopy

Case Study A rapid response event was activated for a patient who appeared to be in acute distress. On arrival of the rapid response team, the patient was short of breath with visible swelling of the face. Per the bedside registered nurse, the patient was a 40-year-old male with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, admitted four days ago for right lower lobe pneumonia with…

Hypoxia in a Patient With Hemoptysis

Case Study The bedside nurse initiated a rapid response event for a patient who developed large volume hemoptysis along with dyspnea. On arrival of the condition team, the patient was coughing bright red blood and visibly dyspneic, using accessory muscles of respiration. Per report from the nurse, the patient was an 80-year-old male with a history of atrial fibrillation, admitted two days ago for exacerbation of…

Hypoxia in a Morbidly Obese Patient

Case Study The bedside nurse initiated a rapid response event for a patient who went to sleep earlier in the evening and was unable to be aroused by verbal commands. The nurse noted his oxygen saturation drop as low as 78% and prolonged episodes of apnea lasting up to 20 s. On prompt arrival of the rapid response team, the patient was given a sternal rub,…

Hypoxia in a Patient With Massive Pleural Effusion

Case Study A rapid response event was initiated by the bedside nurse for a patient who developed altered mentation and shallow breathing. On arrival of the condition team, the patient was found to be an 80-year-old female with a history of lung adenocarcinoma who presented a few hours ago for dyspnea on exertion and was found to have a large right-sided pleural effusion. Since admission, she…

Hypoxia in a Patient With Myasthenia Gravis

Case Study A rapid response code was activated for a patient who appeared to be in acute respiratory distress. On arrival of the condition team, the patient was found to be a 45-year-old male with a history of myasthenia gravis who was admitted to the hospital with possible pneumonia. The patient has been experiencing fever for one to two weeks associated with increased sputum production and…

Hypoxia in a Patient With Bullous Emphysema

Case Study The bedside nurse activated a rapid response code for a patient who appeared to be in acute respiratory distress and had new right-sided chest pain. On arrival of the rapid response team (RRT), the patient was found to be a 62-year-old male with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who was admitted one day ago for COPD exacerbation. Overnight, the patient was…

Hypoxia in a Patient With COVID-19

Case Study A rapid response code was activated for a patient who developed acute dyspnea. On arrival of the condition team, the patient was found to be a 75-year-old male with a known history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who was admitted to the hospital one day earlier for cough and fever secondary to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. The patient’s oxygenation had been stable…

Hypoxia in a Patient With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Case Study The bedside nurse initiated a rapid response event after the patient was found to be in significant respiratory distress and with oxygen saturation in the 80 s. On prompt arrival of the rapid response team, the patient was found to be a 65-year-old male with an extensive history of smoking, oxygen-dependent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, and heart failure with a preserved ejection…