Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening genetic disorder that results in persistent lung infections (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2016). The disease progressively limits the ability of the lung to breath. As a caregiver, I once cared for a patient suffering from CF. Some of the conditions the patient suffered from include his mucus glands secreting very thick sticky mucus, difficulty in breathing, persistent cough with great physical effort. The sticky mucus resulted in clogging of the tiny air passages and this trapped bacteria which caused irreversible lung damage, shortening the life of the patient.
As a caregiver, I played numerous roles in caring for the patient at different stages of life. The roles varied from cheerleader to at-home nurse. My chief role was to administer medications, administer breathing treatments, give support, and monitor the mental health of the patient. I also had to ensure that appointments were made and kept as well as ensure that the lines of communication between each member of the care team remained open.
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There is no cure for CF. However, there are wide ranges of treatment that can be used to control the symptoms and reduce the complication of the disease. Airway clearance techniques were used for the patient I was caring for. This technique was used to keep the lungs and airways of the patient clear. One of the airway techniques used by my facility to treat the patient is the active cycle of breathing techniques (ACBT). This technique involves a cycle of relaxed breathing, coughing, huffing, and deep breathing to remove mucus. The facility also used airway clearance devices, positive expiratory pressure devices (PEP), to move mucus (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, N.d). PEP device uses breathing techniques, air pressure, and vibration to help remove mucus from the airways of the patient.
References
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (N.d). Positive Expiratory Pressure. [Online]. Available at: https://www.cff.org/Life-With-CF/Treatments-and-Therapies/Airway-Clearance/Positive-Expiratory-Pressure/ . Accessed 6 th Feb 2019.
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2016). Cystic Fibrosis. [Online]. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cystic-fibrosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353700 . Accessed 6 th Feb 2019.
