Abstract
Long-term oxygen therapy is the most effective method which has been shown to prolong the lifespan in people with COPD. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of health education given by nurses to patients with COPD on the daily oxygen concentrator (OC) usage time. The study was carried out in a State Hospital, Turkey, between July and November 2015. After given consent to the study, participants were divided into intervention and control groups by simple random sampling method. Then data forms were filled during face-to-face interview. Firstly, the data describing patients' arrival times were collected retrospectively. Afterwards, the patients from the intervention group were educated through educational booklets prepared by the researchers. They were phoned in the weeks 4, 8 and 12th for problems they might have encountered during the use of OC. After the 14th week, data forms of patients from the both groups were filled again; the results were compared with previous clinical findings. Data were analysed using SPSS 15.0 for Windows. It was determined that 95.5% of patients did not get information about the use of OC. Daily OC usage time (hour) by patients in the intervention group firstly amounted to 5.69 ± 3.90, later on to 11.94 ± 4.73 (p < 0.05). Whereas when clinical findings concerning pre- and post educational periods were compared; a significant improvement in PaO₂, PaCO2, FEV₁ and SaO₂ of patients in the intervention group (p<0.05) was shown, contrary to the control group. It may be recommended that patients receive continuous education and close monitoring of their results.
Highlights
Long-term oxygen therapy is the most effective method which has been shown to prolong the lifespan in people with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
When the results obtained before and after the education provided were compared, it was revealed that some findings concerning the patients from the intervention group improved significantly e.g. SaO2, PaO2, PaCO2, FEV1, level of satisfaction related to oxygen concentrator (OC), the number of exacerbations and hospitalizations during the last three months, daily OC usage time and rate of OC flow (p < 0.05)
When the level of knowledge of the patients was investigated, it was found that 96.9% of the intervention group and 95.2% of the control group did not receive any information about the use of OC
Summary
The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of health education given by nurses to patients with COPD on the daily oxygen concentrator (OC) usage time. After the 14th week, data forms of patients from the both groups were filled again; the results were compared with previous clinical findings. Conclusions: It may be recommended that patients receive continuous education and close monitoring of their results In these days, with increased early diagnosis and treatment options, the average life expectancy has begun to increase. On the report of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Turkey on data for 2004, COPD was the third most frequent cause of death in the country [5]. It is known that COPD mortality and morbidity, both in our country and in the world, are constantly increasing [6]
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