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Use this Picmonic to help you learn Respiratory Acidosis Assessment by the story of the acidic-lemon with a respirator and the assess-man scuba diving. One way to assess the airway is to determine the pH and PaCO2 level. Patients in respiratory acidosis display a decreased pH less than 7.35, down-arrow pH less-than 7.35, and increased PaCO2 greater than 45,&nbsp;up-arrow partial-pressure-gauge CO2 greater than 45. Respiratory acidosis is caused by a retention of CO2 which is characteristically caused by&nbsp;Reduced Respirations, down-arrow respirator. This buildup of acid may cause Anxiety, anxiety-brown-bag and further increases may cause a&nbsp;Change in LOC, delta (indicating change) halo. A patient may present with&nbsp;&nbsp;Tachycardia, tac-heart-card, and Cyanosis, cyan-crayon. These patients may also have Increased Electrolytes, shown by up-arrow electric lights. Potassium is typically the main electrolyte that is increased due to the hydrogen and potassium atoms interacting in an attempt to balance blood acidity levels. Potassium increases may especially manifest as&nbsp;ECG Changes, delta (indicating change) ECG but also could potentiate&nbsp;Muscle Weakness, weak-drooping-muscle and&nbsp;Hyporeflexia, hippo-reflex-hammer. In summary, decreased pH &lt;7.35 and an increase in PaCO2 &gt;45 indicates a patient is in respiratory acidosis because of retention of CO2. A reduced respiratory drive, anxiety, change in LOC, &nbsp;tachycardia, and cyanosis are some of the changes that can occur in a patient, and should be assessed continuously. An increase in electrolytes can create ECG changes, muscle weakness, or hyporeflexia,&nbsp;these changes should be reported immediately.&nbsp;

educational

story

hand.png

respirator acidic lemon with assess man.png

title respiratory acidosis.png

Respirator Acidic-lemon with Assess-man

Respiratory Acidosis Assessment

Respiratory Acidosis

Respiratory Acidosis (interpretation and nursing interventions)

Assessment

down arrow less than 7.35.png

Down-arrow pH Less-than 7.35

Decreased pH < 7.35

Which of the following is associated with Respiratory Acidosis?

down arrow respirator.png

Down-arrow Respirator

Reduced Respirations

Which of the following is most likely seen in Respiratory Acidosis?

anxiety brown bag.png

arm.png

Anxiety-brown-bag

Anxiety

Which of the following clinical features is typically seen in a patient with respiratory acidosis?

delta halo.png

Delta Halo

Change in LOC

tac heart card.png

Tac-heart-card

Tachycardia

Which of the following clinical features is most likely seen in a patient with respiratory acidosis?

Tachycardia on EKG

cyan crayon.png

Cyan-crayon

Cyanosis

Peripheral Cyanosis

Peripheral (Acral) Cyanosis

up arrow electric lights.png

electricity.png

Up-arrow Electric-lights

Increased Electrolytes

delta ecg.png

Delta ECG

ECG Changes

Peaked T-waves on EKG (Hyperkalemia)

weak drooping muscle.png

Weak-drooping-muscle

Muscle Weakness

hippo reflex hammer.png

Hippo-reflex-hammer

Hyporeflexia

up arrow partial pressure guage co2 greater than 45.png

Up-arrow Partial-pressure-gauge CO2 Greater than 45

Increased PaCO2 > 45

Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing, 13th Edition

Hockenberry, Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children, 10th Ed.

Ignatavicius Medical-Surgical Nursing, 9th Edition

Medical-Surgical Nursing, 10th Ed, Lewis, Dirksen, Heitkemper, & Bucher

Medical-Surgical Nursing, 9th Ed, Lewis, Dirksen, Heitkemper, & Bucher

PANCE Prep Pearls: 1st Ed, 2014

PANCE Prep Pearls: 2nd Ed, 2017

Potter, Perry, Stockert & Hall, 2017, Fundamentals of Nursing, 9th Ed.

Updated this Picmonic's story to include the Assess-man, as this is a Picmonic discussing the assessment of this disorder.

This Picmonic was reviewed for academic accuracy and the definitions were improved.

Acidic-lemon and Assess-man were scuba diving one day, using Respirators as masks when things went horribly wrong. The deeper they dove, so did their pH strip all the way down below 7.35, but their air supply, the partial-pressure-gauge CO2, went shooting up, over 45. &nbsp;This was because lemon&rsquo;s respirator malfunctioned. In desperation, he stole Assess-man&rsquo;s respirator and pulls it down. CO2 began to panic over lemon and Assess-man&rsquo;s situation and shot up to the surface for help but had to use an anxiety-bag to calm down. &nbsp;Lemon was still reeling over traumatic experience and presented a delta halo. Especially because Assess-man was taking matters into his own hands and pounded him with a Tac-heart-card hoping he would relent his much needed air supply. &nbsp;That&rsquo;s when something caught their eye, someone beautiful was applying lipstick with a cyan-crayon, the sexy shade that no one can resist. &nbsp;She was suspended in the water by a string of Electric-lights. However, the electric-lights shorted out, and a jolt of electricity shot up the cord. &nbsp;The burst of electricity fried their ECG, causing a delta symbol to appear on screen. Things weren&rsquo;t looking good at that point, that machine was powering all their scuba gear and Assess-man and Lemon were sure to drown. But remember that lovely blue lipped lady? That was our hero and with weak, drooping-muscles, she lifts her Hippo hand to save them with a reflex-hammer. &nbsp;That snapped them out of it and they all began to swim up to the surface. &nbsp;Will Lemon find his way up to shore? Find out in Respiratory Acidosis Interventions.

Picmonic uses mnemonics to help you develop NCLEX mastery so you can pass the NCLEX exam the first time. Free question for 06/2022/27

Picmonic NCLEX Question of the Day 06/27/2022

Picmonic NCLEX® Question of the Day

A 19-year-old, female patient arrives in the emergency department after she took a handful of oxycodone pills. She is unconscious and breathing at a rate of 7 breaths per minute. Which acid base imbalance is the patient at highest risk of developing?

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