Respiratory Assessment in the Elderly

For a complete list of accreditations for this course, please see the accreditation information box below the author’s bio.  All states (with the exception of Hawaii) recognize our courses for accredited continuing nursing education, CNE, contact hours.

Many changes have occurred within the Long Term Care setting. Nurses are now providing care to higher acuity residents, with many of the residents requiring thorough and accurate respiratory assessment as well as the provision of respiratory treatments. Being familiar with all aspects of respiratory therapy has become essential to nurses in the skilled nursing, long term care and post-acute care settings.

The elderly patient frequently presents unique and subtle symptoms of respiratory disease and often those within this age group have a higher incidence of respiratory dysfunction and disease.

This course will provide an overview of the general changes in the respiratory system frequently seen with the elderly as well as an overview of commonly encountered respiratory diseases.

Competency will be established by documentation that the nurse successfully completed education with exam scores of 80% or higher.