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Use this nursing care plan and management guide to help care for patients with apnea. Learn about
the nursing assessment, nursing interventions, goals and nursing diagnosis for apnea in this guide.
Table of Contents
What is Apnea?
Nursing Care Plans and Management
Nursing Problem Priorities
Nursing Assessment
Nursing Diagnosis
Nursing Goals
Nursing Interventions and Actions
1. Improving and Maintaining Respiratory Status
2. Promoting Effective Family Coping
Recommended Resources
See also
What is Apnea?
Apnea is defined as periodic cessation of breathing for more than 15 seconds in the full term or more
than 20 seconds in the preterm infant. It may be related to sepsis, gastroesophageal reflux, metabolic
abnormality, seizure disorder, trauma, or the impairment of breathing during sleep, although it is not
uncommon to find no apparent causative factor.
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Apneas in a preterm infant may be central, obstructive, or mixed. In central apnea, there is a loss of
chest wall movement due to the depressed respiratory center in the brain, while obstructive apnea is
caused by pharyngeal collapse, neck flexion, or nasal obstruction. Mixed apneas involve a central
apnea that is directly followed by obstructive apnea.
Apnea occurs during infancy and is usually resolved by one year of age without resulting in the death
of the infant. The apparent life-threatening event (ALTE) that is indicative of apnea is not considered a
cause of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), although the infant with apnea is at slightly higher risk.
Both apnea and high-risk SIDS infants may be monitored by an apnea-monitoring device as a
preventive measure.
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coping, knowledge of the treatment program and home care, and absence of complications.
Nursing Assessment
Free IQ Test
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Healthcare staffing
Assess for the following subjective and objective data:
Nursing Diagnosis
Free IQ Test
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Nursing Goals
Goals and expected outcomes may include:
The infant/child will maintain respiratory status to baseline parameters for pattern rate, depth,
and ease.
The infant/Child will demonstrate improved gas exchange and arterial blood gases will maintain
within normal ranges for age.
Family members will be able to express their feelings and needs to each other.
Family members identify three healthy coping mechanisms.
The parents will verbalize readiness in handling the infant during apneic episodes.
The parents will demonstrate the accurate application and operation of the apnea monitor.
The parents will become skillful in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the infant.
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Therapeutic interventions and nursing actions for patients with apnea may include:
Patients with apnea may exhibit ineffective breathing patterns related to impaired regulation. A
dysfunction in the brain’s breathing regulation can cause irregular breathing patterns or pauses during
sleep, leading to reduced oxygen levels and other health complications associated with sleep apnea.
Infants with apnea may also experience impaired gas exchange due to the interruption or reduction of
airflow during breathing, resulting in decreased oxygen levels in the body and increased carbon
dioxide levels. This can lead to respiratory acidosis and other health complications associated with
sleep apnea.
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Assess the frequency and pattern of breathing; Observe the presence of apnea and changes in
the heart rate.
Infants with apnea have periods of cessation of breathing over 15-20 seconds accompanied by
bradycardia.
Assess skin, nail beds, skin, and mucous membranes for pallor or cyanosis.
Reveals the presence of hypoxemia causing cyanosis from uneven distribution of gases and blood in
the lungs, and alveolar hypoventilation caused by airway obstruction and absence of chest wall
movement.
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Avoid prolonged suctioning; Discourage taking rectal temperatures and tube feedings.
Vagal stimulation may cause bradycardia, triggering apneic episodes.
Provide tactile stimulation by applying a gentle rub on the soles of the feet or chest wall.
Indicated for mild and intermittent episodes of apnea to stimulate spontaneous breathing.
Administer continuous nasal airflow or CPAP via a nasal mask, or a face mask.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is administered for preterm-birth apnea thought to be
related to the collapse of the airway.
Educate the parents on the use of apnea monitor and allow for a return
demonstration of the application, to setting, alarms, power source, inform
of when and how to respond to changes in respiration and heart rate.
Signals parents on the presence of prolonged periods of apnea in order to avoid hypoxia and possibly
death.
Compromised family coping for patients with apnea may occur due to the significant impact that the
infant’s condition can have on the family’s daily routine and emotional well-being. This can lead to
increased stress, anxiety, and fatigue, as well as potential social isolation and financial strain, all of
which can affect the family’s ability to cope with the patient’s condition. Additionally, there is also a risk
for altered parenting for patients with apnea related to verbalization of role inadequacy, where parents
may express feelings of inadequacy or inability to provide proper care for their child. This can result in
a lack of confidence in their parenting skills and potentially lead to inappropriate caretaking behaviors.
Providing education and support to parents can help them feel more confident in their ability to care
for their child and improve their parenting skills.
Assess family anxiety level and erratic behaviors (anger, tension, disorganization) perception of
a crisis situation.
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Identifies information affecting the ability of the family to cope with infant apnea and monitoring.
Assist the family to identify and use 3 techniques to cope with and solve problems and gain
control over the situation.
Provides support for problem-solving and handling of the situation.
Assess the history of apnea, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and life-threatening events
of infants in the family.
Shows risk factors associated with the condition as support for additional assessment.
Assess for the presence of apneic episodes, bradycardia, cyanosis, gastroesophageal reflux,
upper respiratory infection, and poor feeding with choking during feedings.
Recognizes apneic episodes of more than 15 seconds in preterm or more than 20 seconds in the full-
term infant, related risk factors, or possibility for SIDS and need for evaluation.
Assess parents’ ability to take part in apnea monitoring and to learn CPR as an intervention in
case of an episode.
Fear and anxiety are common to parents of an apneic infant; feelings of guilt and inadequacy, and fear
of the death of the child display a hindrance to learning and interventions needed for the child’s
survival.
Encourage verbalization of feelings and provide accurate information about infant apnea.
Lessens anxiety and improves the family’s understanding of the condition.
Educate parents that over-protective behaviors may affect infant growth and development.
Enhances family understanding of the condition and adverse effects of behaviors.
Reinforce the need to sustain the health of family members and social contacts.
Provides knowledge about chronic anxiety, fatigue, and isolation as a result of infant care and about
their effects on the health and care capacities of the family.
Encourage parents to verbalize feelings about unmet needs and the ability to meet and develop
self-expectations.
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Identifies potential for isolation and social deprivation of mother, strategies to accomplish realistic
expectations.
Provide a calm, supportive, and positive environment; encourage and commend positive
parental behaviors.
Decreases stress and anxiety for enhanced learning of infant care procedures.
Provide parents with step-by-step procedures in written or picture form about apnea
monitoring and resuscitation.
Provides reference as reinforcement of learning.
Teach parents about safety issues of home apnea monitoring: unplugging the power cord when
the cord is not unplugged to monitor; removing leads from the infant when not attached to the
monitor; using safety covers on electrical outlets to discourage siblings from inserting other
objects.
Avoids electrical-related accidents to home monitor.
Demonstrate for parents, and allow for return demonstration on how to attach electrodes to the
belt and monitor, apply belt to infant’s chest, turn to monitor on, set the monitor, test the
monitor alarms, remove and care of monitor after use.
Apnea monitor to use at home may be prescribed by physicians for apneic and “near-miss” infants,
although use is controversial; monitors cardiac and respiratory activity with an alarm system that alerts
parents when rates are not within prescribed settings; electrodes, lead wires, and cable pick up on
breathing and heart activity signals and limit apnea
time by sounding alarmed.
Instruct other significant others and support persons to care for the child with a home monitor,
including CPR.
Promotes positive coping as parents can decrease continuous responsibility of home apnea
monitoring.
Demonstrate for parents and allow for return demonstration of CPR on infant model; instruct
both parents and a family member in the assessment of the infant and need for CPR, correct
mouth-to-mouth and cardiac compression techniques; supply was written and pictorial
instructions or booklet for review.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is indicated to resuscitate an infant with cessation of breathing
and the presence of cyanosis.
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Provide positive appraisal and support for parents as they learn to use the monitor and develop
skills in CPR.
Positive reinforcement and support help the parents develop new parenting skills and feel confident in
their abilities as parents.
Instruct parents to place healthy infants on their backs during sleep; Avoid pillows or soft
mattresses in the crib.
Decreases the risk of SIDS, according to research; the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
that healthy infants be placed on their backs to sleep. Infants placed on their sides may roll to the
prone position.
Explain the difference between apnea and Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Parental perception of the relationship between these conditions is often the basis for their fear of a
child’s possible survival.
Suggest referral to a home care agency, contact with family members and friends, and other
support services.
Provides a range of support and assistance, which helps to reduce anxiety and promote social
activities.
Recommended Resources
Recommended nursing diagnosis and nursing care plan books and resources.
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See also
Other recommended site resources for this nursing care plan:
Nursing Care Plans (NCP): Ultimate Guide and Database MUST READ!
Over 150+ nursing care plans for different diseases and conditions. Includes our easy-to-follow
guide on how to create nursing care plans from scratch.
Nursing Diagnosis Guide and List: All You Need to Know to Master Diagnosing
Our comprehensive guide on how to create and write diagnostic labels. Includes detailed
nursing care plan guides for common nursing diagnostic labels.
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Bikers robinah
March 30, 2021 at 3:35 AM
Very good notes keep up and they are very educative helps us to manage conditions as us
nurses
Reply
Michael
January 11, 2024 at 7:05 AM
Reply
Hi Michael, yeah this one is specific to pediatric patients, if you want a more general care
plan related to this, please check: Ineffective Breathing Pattern
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