Question: An 82-year-old Male Is Admitted To An Orthopedic Unit Following A Total Hip Replacement For A Right Hip Fracture, Which Occurred 2 Days Ago. Four Hours After Arrival To The Unit, The Patient Complains Of Increasing Shortness Of Breath And Tachypnea With A Respiratory Rate Of 38 Breaths/min. Physical Examination Reveals Tachycardia At 122 Bpm, Hypotension …

An 82-year-old male is admitted to an orthopedic unit followinga total hip replacement for a right hip fracture, which occurred 2days ago. Four hours after arrival to the unit, the patientcomplains of increasing shortness of breath and tachypnea with arespiratory rate of 38 breaths/min. Physical examination revealstachycardia at 122 bpm, hypotension at 96/56 mm Hg, andSpO₂ of 84% on 4 L/min via nasal cannula. The nurseplaces the patient on a nonrebreather mask and notifies thephysician. Arterial blood gases reveal pH 7.22, PO₂ 48mm Hg, PCO₂ 52 mm Hg, HCO₃ 24 mEq/L. Thepatient’s respiratory status continues to deteriorate, and thephysician emergently places an endotracheal tube. The patient issedated and placed on mechanical ventilation.

1. What is the likely cause of the patient’s respiratorydistress?
2. How do you interpret the patient’s blood gasvalues?
3. Outline the nursing care of the patient on a mechanicalventilator.