A 68-year-old male with COPD is admitted to the hospital with pneumonia; the signout says he became more sick overnight. The learner must identify that the patient is in respiratory distress and begin interventions to treat him, including administering oxygen via nasal cannula or non-rebreather. The learner is expected to communicate findings to the physician on call as the events unfold. The learner can ask for labs or imaging and can administer intravenous antibiotics as well. Eventually, the doctor will arrive to help escalate patient care as it becomes clear he is in acute respiratory distress.

Learning Objectives

– Identify signs and symptoms of respiratory distress in a patient with pneumonia
– Initiate interventions to treat a patient in respiratory distress from pneumonia
– Adequately communicate findings with the physician