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Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Investigation into Deep Breathing through Measurement of Ventilatory Parameters and Observation of Breathing Patterns
Published on: September 16, 2019
Defining characteristics and related factors of the nursing diagnosis for ineffective breathing pattern
Patricia Rezende do Prado1, Ana Rita de Cássia Bettencourt1, Juliana de Lima Lopes1
1Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Paulista Nursing School. São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Objective:
To identify in the literature the defining characteristics and related factors of the nursing diagnosis "ineffective breathing pattern".
Method:
Integrative review with the steps: problem identification, literature search, evaluation and analysis of data and presentation of results.
Results:
Twenty articles and two dissertations were included. In children, the most prevalent related factor was bronchial secretion, followed by hyperventilation. The main defining characteristics were dyspnea, tachypnea, cough, use of accessory muscles to breathe, orthopnea and adventitious breath sounds. Bronchial secretion, cough and adventitious breath sounds are not included in the NANDA-International (NANDA-I). For adults and older adults, the related factors were fatigue, pain and obesity and the defining characteristics were dyspnea, orthopnea and tachypnea.
Conclusion:
This diagnosis manifests differently according to the patients' age group. It was observed that some defining characteristics and related factors are not included in the NANDA-I. Their inclusion can improve this nursing diagnosis.
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