Part 1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive and debilitating respiratory illness that brings numerous problems to healthcare staff, patients and their relatives. COPD is an inflammatory condition of the lungs that leads to airway obstruction making it difficult to breathe, coughs, and excessive mucus production. COPD’s main cause is a prolonged inhalation of gas irritants that are highly likely to be derived from tobacco smoking.
From a leadership viewpoint, in order to address COPD, a multi-disciplinary approach should be employed that comprises healthcare practitioners belonging to a variety of specialities, such as pulmonologists, primary care physicians, respiratory therapists, and nurses. Efficient interaction and teamwork among these healthcare specialists are a must for catering for the full scope of the complex needs of COPD patients. One of the main factors in the development of this environment is excellent management, which makes a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, science-based practices, and policy changes that emphasize COPD prevention and control.
Collaboration and communication are crucial in finding an answer to the complex problems that may arise as a result of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Healthcare practitioners have the main responsibility of working with patients and families to maximize their quality of life by addressing the physical, psychological and social attributes of each of them. Effective communication precedes everything. Thus, the patients and the caregivers should be patiently and clearly informed about the disease, its progression, and the importance of adherence to treatment regimens. Similarly, engagement and partnerships with other community groups and support organizations can make patient education and change of lifestyle much easier through active participation and such activities as cessation of smoking.
Change management becomes an essential element in the problem-solving process for COPD patients since it implies restructuring the whole healthcare system including methodologies, policies and processes to meet the needs of COPD cases better. Healthcare organizations must be prepared to meet the challenging needs of this diverse group of clients by implementing evidence-based practices, integrated technologies and a culture of continuous aid. The plan of action in this regard should be to heighten healthcare accessibility, improve healthcare coordination, and also develop patient-centred care.
Policy interventions will play a significant role in tackling COPD from a population health viewpoint. Policies that support smoking cessation and regulate air quality can substantially lower rates of COPD. Furthermore, investment in research and finance into COPD treatment and management can lead to breakthroughs in disease knowledge, prevention, and care delivery. Effective policies necessitate the efforts of healthcare professionals, patient groups and policymakers in advocacy aiming at prioritizing COPD prevention and management.
The new evidence about the disease process, risk factors, and treatment options in COPD are gradually being used and upgraded to improve the evidence and research base for COPD management. Healthcare providers should be orientated with the latest research results and apply the evidence-based approach in their care delivery. Clinical trials, observational research, and systematic reviews represent valid evidence of the efficacy of treatment options like, for instance, pharmacological therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation programs and non-invasive ventilation devices.
Part 2
Introduction
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease represents a significant global health challenge, affecting millions and imposing substantial burdens on patients and their families. This chronic inflammatory lung disease, characterized by obstructed airflow, severe breathing difficulties, and persistent respiratory symptoms, necessitates ongoing adjustments in the lives of those affected. The exploration of COPD’s impact is crucial, as it offers insights into the physical, emotional, and financial strains experienced by patients and their support networks. This paper focuses on the COPD patients’, and the family’s daily lived experiences, dealing with issues such as coping strategies, healthcare interventions and patient-centred care.
Defining the Problem and Significance
Thus, the patient health problem that is relevant to my practice and deserves to be explored more deeply is the issue of impact on individual patients and their families. The abovementioned disease is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that leads to blocked airflow and, thus, becomes a significant burden. Severe breathing complications, a persistent cough, and excessive phlegm production characterize the issue. Therefore, due to its progressive character, patients and their families have to frequently adapt to new living standards while the physical, psychological, and financial burden remains. It is a related health condition because it presents a public health challenge that affects the quality of patients’ and their support systems’ lives.
In my practicum, I plan to interact with a group of patients suffering from COPD and their families. This focus group is designed to get an in-depth knowledge of the daily challenges they encounter, their management strategies, and what type of help they need. With this organization, I will be able to collect qualitative information on their experiences with treatment adherence, lifestyle modifications, and interactions with healthcare systems. This interactive session will give us real-world experiences and knowledge that will be applied in the development of patient-centred, supportive interventions.
The importance and impacts of this problem are reflected by the data given in Saeid Safiri et al. study (2022) about the Global Burden of disease. About 212.3 million cases of COPD were reported worldwide in 2019 and were responsible for 3.3 million deaths and 74.4 million DALYs. The report is most favourable for those countries with a downward trend in age-standardized rates since 1990, although some countries show significant discrepancies. The key drivers of the COPD burden are smoking, atmospheric particulate matter and occupational exposures. According to this data, it is proven that COPD continues to be a public health challenge with a call for purposeful intervention. Currently, as a baccalaureate nurse, I anticipate applying this issue to my practice since it revolves around the care of individuals experiencing this condition, elucidating to them on COPD and its management, advocating for them, and adopting evidence-based interventions to improve the quality of life and outcomes for COPD patients and their families.
Analyzing Peer-Reviewed Literature and Nursing Actions
The peer-reviewed literature and professional sources offer nurses the best practice in the management of COPD patients and their families regarding the impact of the disease on them. The literature largely agrees with the identified nursing challenges, including but not limited to patients’ quality of life burden, caregivers’ emotional stress, and the need for complete disease management. As an example, Mieke et al. (2020) carried out a longitudinal observation study which showed that COPD has physical, psychological and social effects on patients and their families. This showed the necessity of comprehensive care and support. Nevertheless, it is important to assess the credibility of data, especially in those fields where the situation keeps developing and changing. Inadequate data may have small sample sizes, methodological blunders and study designs with biases. This requires a critical appraisal of any evidence.
The literature gives a glimpse also on the barriers to using an evidence-based approach to COPD. Qualitative research by Ayoubian et al. (2020) found factors like lack of information, limited resources, and resistance to changing to evidence-based health practices among the barriers to the implementation of evidence-based health care practices. Primarily, the impact of nursing standards and rules on improved outcomes for COPD patients has also been assessed in studies. The systemic review conducted by Bulto & Hendriks (2023) showed that incorporating nurse-led activities, namely self-management programs and integrated care pathways, was associated with an improvement in quality of life. It decreased the number of hospitalizations in patients with COPD. These discoveries signify the crucial role of nurses in giving holistic and systematized care.
Moreover, the literature points out that nurses’ participation in the policy-making process is instrumental in improving COPD outcomes, preventing diseases, and reducing readmissions to the hospital. As stated by the American Nurses Association, nurses should play a crucial role that involves risk factor identification, early diagnosis, and patient self-management support in the development of policies as well as their implementation. Nursing theories and conceptual frameworks also serve as a basis for practical recommendations in the practicum. For instance, Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory includes the concept of the nurse as a coach whose objective is to coach patients on self-care behaviours required to effectively manage their health conditions (Hartweg, 2022). This concept is in harmony with the aim of equipping patients with the necessary skills and knowledge that could, in the end, bring about effective interventions and promote better outcomes.
The Role of Policies and Standards
Numerous researches have been conducted in order to assess the efficacy of nursing practice standards and policies improving the results for COPD patients. Bulto & Hendriks (2023) noted that interventions like self-management programs and integrated care pathways with nurse guidance reduced patients’ hospital stays and improved their quality of life. These programs, according to scientific principles and standards, enabled the patients to live with their conditions more manageably and have a better health status.
The literature stresses the importance of nurses in policy-making, which can lead to better outcomes, prevent illness, and decrease hospital readmissions due to COPD. The American Nurses Association (ANA) advocates for nurse involvement in policy-making with emphasis on risk factors, early diagnosis, and self-management by the patient. Experienced nurses who work on the front line play a huge role in the creation of policies and guidelines as they understand what their patients require.
Local, state, and federal policies and legislation can significantly impact the nursing scope of practice in addressing the challenges posed by COPD. For example, targeted policies which subsidize quitting smoking, improve air quality and finance health research and funds for COPD treatment and management will, in the end, have a direct impact on the working medics. Nurses become the link in this chain by passing on the knowledge to patients and family members and making sure that the policies directed at COPD prevention and treatment are sound. Furthermore, applicable laws and regulations for advanced practice nurses’ determination of the scope of their practice and authority to diagnose, prescribe, and manage COPD for patients can either provide or limit their access to the quality of care.
Leadership Strategies, Collaboration, and Change Management
Excellent leadership approaches are worth giving priority to when it comes to the enhancement of the outcomes, patient-centred work, and the COPD patients’ and families’ conditions. The effectiveness of several leaders in conceptualizing and tackling this complex health issue has been established.
The systematic review done by Line et al. in 2023 highlighted the effects of transformational leadership on improved patient outcomes and satisfaction in chronic disease management. Transformational leaders inspire and motivate the health care workforce in the process of adopting the change, fostering cooperation as well as coordinating patient-centered care. In the same way, the researchers Folkman et al. (2019) also talked about how leadership should be shared and involve all the healthcare professionals taking part in the decision-making process which helps in improving care coordination and patient engagement.
As a leader in addressing the impact of COPD on patients and their families, I envision myself actively engaging in interdepartmental cooperation, clear communication, and organizational transformation processes. Creating an atmosphere of cooperation and knowledge transfer between healthcare professionals, patients as well as their relatives while providing high-quality treatment and shared decision-making will be a priority.
Strong collaboration and communication strategies will be needed in dealing with the multi-faceted challenges of COPD. Forming interdisciplinary teams, which include pulmonologists, primary care doctors, respiratory therapists, nurses, and social workers, will promote comprehensive care. Regular team meetings and case discussions will be a tool for collective learning and coordinated care planning. Moreover, establishing patient and family advisory committees will ensure that their voice and views are taken into account during care delivery.
Changing management models are going to be needed in order to meet the future needs of COPD patients and their families. Implementation of evidence-based practices like nurse-led self-management programs and integrated care pathways will entail a structured change approach. Ensuring active engagement of stakeholders, continuous education and training, and continuous monitoring and evaluation of the implementation process become top priorities. Developing a culture of perpetual improvement and supporting workers to utilize novel solutions will be key to addressing the dynamic challenges of COPD.
In the course of my practicum, I spent two hours collaborating with a group of COPD patients and their relatives who struggle with the disease and the support they need. Such hands-on engagement helped me to note their opinions and challenges in the Capella Academic Portal Volunteer Experience Form, which is used for the development of patient-centred interventions and support mechanisms.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the COPD patients and their families’ interactions during my practicum have been a source of manifold experience, which has underscored the need for multifaceted, comprehensive, patient-centred care and supporting interventions. The details of their lived experiences provide a perfect illustration of the different physical, emotional, and systemic problems they encounter, compelling the nurses to adopt evidence-based practices and speak up for policy modifications. Such an analytical review of the narratives not only amplifies the voices of those with COPD but also serves as a basis for the development of personalized interventions, which can not only improve the quality of life and health outcomes of this vulnerable group but also prove to be highly effective.
References
Anne Katrine Folkman, Tveit, B., & Sidsel Muri Sverdrup. (2019). Leadership in interprofessional collaboration in health care. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, Volume 12, 97–107. https://doi.org/10.2147/jmdh.s189199
Ayoubian, A., Amir Ashkan Nasiripour, Seyed Jamaledin Tabibi, & Bahadori, M. (2020). Evaluation of Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in the Health Services: A Systematic Review. Galen Medical Journal, 9, 1645–1645. https://doi.org/10.31661/gmj.v9i0.1645
Bulto, L. N., & Hendriks, J. M. (2023). The role of nurse-led intervention to empower patients in cardiovascular disease care. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvad095
Hartweg, D. L. (2022). Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory: Relevance and Need for Refinement – Donna L. Hartweg, Sharie A. Metcalfe, 2022. Nursing Science Quarterly. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08943184211051369
Line, Nikitara, M., Ghobrial, S., Evangelos Latzourakis, Polychronis, G., & Constantinou, C. S. (2023). The Impact of Transformational Leadership in the Nursing Work Environment and Patients’ Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Nursing Reports, 13(3), 1271–1290. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep13030108
Mieke R C Crutsen, Keene, S. J., Daisy, Groenen, M. T., Kuijk, van, Franssen, F. M. E., Wouters, E. F. M., & Spruit, M. A. (2020). Physical, Psychological, and Social Factors Associated with Exacerbation-Related Hospitalization in Patients with COPD. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(3), 636–636. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9030636
Saeid Safiri, Carson-Chahhoud, K., Noori, M., Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi, Sullman, M. J. M., Javad Ahmadian Heris, Khalil Ansarin, Mohammad Ali Mansournia, Collins, G. S., Ali-Asghar Kolahi, & Kaufman, J. S. (2022). Burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its attributable risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The BMJ, e069679–e069679. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2021-069679
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