Respiratory Failure – Recognition & PN

Why it matters for NCLEX-PN: Respiratory failure is a life-threatening emergency requiring rapid recognition and escalation. The PN must identify deteriorating respiratory status, apply oxygen appropriately, and call for help before the patient arrests. Delays in recognition are the most common preventable cause of respiratory arrest on medical floors. Definition: Respiratory failure = inadequate gas exchange causing hypoxemia (PaO₂ <60 mmHg on room air) and/or hypercapnia (PaCO₂ >50 mmHg with acidosis). Two main types: - Type 1 (Hypoxemic): PaO₂ <60 mmHg, PaCO₂ normal or low; lungs cannot oxygenate blood (pneumonia, pulmonary edema, ARDS, PE) - Type 2 (Hypercapnic/Ventilatory): PaCO₂ >50 mmHg with acidosis; lungs cannot eliminate CO₂ (COPD exacerbation, neuromuscular disease, opioid overdose, obesity hypoventilation) PN priority: The PN cannot manage respiratory failure independently. Identify early → intervene with oxygen → escalate to RN and provider → prepare for rapid response activation. On the exam, writers often pair stable-sounding options with unstable data—notice the mismatch before you commit. If the stem names a license or role, reread that line; scope errors are classic trap answers even when the clinical topic...