Asthma and Stepwise Management

Asthma is a respiratory disorder that affects children and adults. Advanced practice nurses often provide treatment to patients with these disorders. Sometimes patients require immediate treatment, making it essential that you recognize and distinguish minor asthma symptoms from serious, life-threatening ones. Since symptoms and attacks are often induced by a trigger, advanced practice nurses must also help patients identify their triggers and recommend appropriate management options. Like many other disorders, there are various approaches to treating and managing care for asthmatic patients depending on individual patient factors.  

One method that supports the clinical decision making of drug therapy plans for asthmatic patients is the stepwise approach, which you explore in this Assignment.

To Prepare

• Reflect on drugs used to treat asthmatic patients, including long-term control and quick relief treatment options for patients. Think about the impact these drugs might have on patients, including adults and children.


• Consider how you might apply the stepwise approach to address the health needs of a patient in your practice.


• Reflect on how stepwise management assists health care providers and patients in gaining and maintaining control of the disease.

By Day 7 of Week 3

Create a 5- to 6-slide PowerPoint presentation that can be used in a staff development meeting on presenting different approaches for implementing the stepwise approach for asthma treatment. Be sure to address the following:

• Describe long-term control and quick relief treatment options for the asthma patient from your practice as well as the impact these drugs might have on your patient.


• Explain the stepwise approach to asthma treatment and management for your patient.


• Explain how stepwise management assists health care providers and patients in gaining and maintaining control of the disease. Be specific.