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Guidelines for Routine Respiratory Care of Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: A Clinical Report

Ms. Clough is Supervisor, Physical Therapy Division, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan Medical Center, UH-1F249/0046, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0046 (USA).
Ms. Lindenauer is Physical Therapist II, Physical Therapy Division, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan Medical Center.
Ms. Hayes is Assistant Head Nurse, Adult Rehabilitation Unit, University of Michigan Medical Center.
Ms. Zekany is Assistant Head Nurse, Adult Rehabilitation Unit, University of Michigan Medical Center.

Pulmonary compromise is a leading cause of morbidity in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Because these patients have such complex and massive needs, routine respiratory care is not always given the priority it deserves in a rehabilitation program. Our institution established a committee to formulate guidelines for the routine respiratory care of patients in our Interdisciplinary Acute Spinal Cord Injury Program. The guidelines consisted of evaluation, treatment, and teaching interventions. The purposes of the guidelines were to increase staff awareness of the need for routine, prophylactic respiratory care of patients with SCI; to be an effective teaching tool for staff, thus resulting in a reduction of respiratory complications; and also to be a teaching tool for patients and their families so that routine respiratory care could be continued in the home. After using the guidelines for over a year, we believe that the quality of the respiratory care we provide our patients with SCI has improved. The respiratory care is more comprehensive, consistent, and coordinated among disciplines.

Key Words: Breathing exercises • Physical therapy • Respiration • Spinal cord injuries

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