Title: “Assessment and Management of Respiratory Symptoms in a 70-Year-Old Male Smoker” Questions to Elicit Patient’s History: 1. How long have you been experiencing this productive cough? 2. Can you describe the

A 70-year-old male patient presented to your clinic with complaint of a “ productive cough” x 2 weeks. Confirms fever, mild dyspnea on exertion, chills, tachycardia, and chest congestion. Describes cough as productive with clear to yellow sputum. Medical history includes  nicotine dependence for 30 years smoking 1 pack per day.  On inspection, patient appeared to be tachypneic with respiratory rate at 30,  HR at 104, febrile with temperature of 101,  02 saturations at 91% on RA with crackles heard in all lung fields. The nurse practitioner noticed that patient could not complete  sentences without pausing to take a deep breath.
Discuss at least five questions you would ask this patient to elicit a history about the patient’s symptoms.
List three physical findings in the respiratory examination that will concern you as the nurse practitioner
What differential diagnosis would you consider as the nurse practitioner seeing this patient?