Community-acquired pneumonia: updates in assessment and management

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant health condition. Knowledge of the clinical presentation and treatment of CAP are important for critical care nurses as up to 20% of patients with CAP require hospitalization and in-patient management. Patients with severe CAP requiring intensive care unit (ICU) treatment often require aggressive management including mechanical ventilation and multisystem organ support. This article presents an overview of CAP, including the presentation of typical and atypical CAP, clinical findings, and the essentials of management. Treatment differences between CAP and healthcare-acquired pneumonia and nursing implications are also highlighted.