Teaching Points

When educating a patient with respiratory acidosis, be sure to cover the following topics and then evaluate your patient's understanding:

• description of the condition and how to prevent it
• reasons for repeated ABG analyses
• deep breathing exercises
• prescribed medications
• home oxygen therapy if indicated
• warning signs and symptoms and when to report them
• proper technique for using bronchodilators, if appropriate
• need for frequent rest
• need for increased caloric intake if appropriate.