Review the pathophysiology that occurs during an asthmatic attack and provide a brief summary.
Please refer to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP): Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma, Full Report 2007 and quick reference.
What is the prevalence of asthma in the pediatric population? What factors contribute to more asthma attacks and what factors contribute to less asthma attacks over the past 10 years?
Identify the allergic and non- allergenic triggers of an asthmatic attack.
What are the clinical manifestations of asthma?
Select 5 differential diagnoses and explain how you as a nurse practitioner would differentiate each one before determining that the child is having an asthmatic attack.
Identify the signs and symptoms you would expect the patient to exhibit during an asthmatic attack. Utilize the stepwise approach proposed by the NIH (2007) Asthmatic Guidelines: intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, severe persistent.
What are the current treatment protocols for intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent and severe persistent asthma for infants and children 0-4 years of age, for children 5-11 years and for youths 12 years of age and older that have been recommended by the National Institutes of Health Expert Panel 3 (2007), and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) 2007.
What are the primary goals for management of children who have chronic asthma?
What type of educational program needs to be implemented for the patient/family in order to set up the foundations that will help the child and family maintain control over the asthma with the least amount of physical and emotional sequelae?
Under what conditions should the nurse practitioner consult/refer to the physician/specialist?