15 peer-reviews journal articles are used in this project to investigate how the nursing practice has to be organized regarding the patients with COPD. There are many challenges nurses with poor experience may face, and this appraisal aims at identifying the concepts which may be helpful to nurses to treat patients with COPD in a proper way.
After a thorough evaluation of the article, it becomes clear that each article describes the nature of the chosen problems which have been identified. Poor background knowledge and practical experience influence the quality of treatment offered by nurses. COPD is a disease that has to be treated from several perspectives, and nurses should be ready to cope with any ask.
For example, the article by Schikowski et al. (2010) describes the peculiarities of COPD in elderly women and the declines which are possible in air pollution. This article helps to understand how people may get this disease and take the necessary precautionary methods. In addition to the gender effect, Ilgin et al (2010) investigates the development of this disease at a different level. Visual Analog Scale and Modified Borg Scale promote the successful development of qualitative study in the article. Some nurses are not aware of how to treat patients with COPD, and Warren (2009) underlines the most important aspects of professional care and the methods which are more preferable in particular situations. Another powerful attempt to describe the theme of COPD and nursing practice was made by Juan de Torres and his team in the article devoted to the quality of life. Stahl et al. (2005) also pay certain attention to health-related quality of life and describe how COPD may be spread throughout the human organism. Nurses should learn the details of this article to define the necessary activities while providing patients with care. Simmons & Simmons (2004), Barnett (2005), and Magfiret (2005) were also successful in their attempts to describe the main symptoms of COPD and the problems which may bother particular patients. Though there are many methods of how this disease may be treated, they were not too attentive to such methods as acupressure to improve dyspnoea as the team of Wu (2004) was.
Several articles from Nursing Standard (Hakesley-Brown, 2009 & 2010) turn out to be effective sources of information about COPD and nursing practice and the impact of tobacco on human health. First of all, nurses have to understand the roots of the disease and help patients overcome any possible threats. And the authors of these two articles are good at describing some helpful tips as well as presenting clear backgrounds. Attention to smoking cessation was paid by Schaffer et al (2009); their descriptive study may be used to comprehend significant pharmacodynamic changes which are caused by smoking cessation.
An educative longitudinal study was offered in the article by Chalmers et al (2004). In this article, several ecological problems and their impact on perinatal women are identified to guide nurses on how to provide patients in need with the required portion of care under unsafe conditions we have to live in. Finally, to support the chosen idea and the role of nurses in treatment the of patients with COPD, the articles by Puffer & Rashidian (2004) and McCann, Clark, & Rowe (2005) may be used. These authors underline that even though nursing care plays an important role in the existing health care system, not all nurses are ready to consider the fact that smoking is a problem that may be solved by their activities and suggestions. Many nurses continue smoking even taking care of patients with COPD. This is why it seems to be an important task for all nurses to comprehend the mistakes they can make and evaluate their positions in the health care system.
Each article is a unique chance for the writer to prove that the problem does exist and requires certain changes to be made. The chosen problem is properly described in each article, and the investigations offered may be used to disclose not only the essence of the problem but also the methods for future and current nurses to rely on.
The gravity of the issue under consideration may be proved in each article chosen. Even though all authors prefer to use different approaches and methods in their studies, each article is a powerful contribution to the chosen field. The statistical data used by the authors may serve as the best evidence of how a disease may be treated and the results of the chosen treatment area. For example, Schikowski et al (2010) make constant use of statistics and consider the past achievements to evaluate the present situation. Approximate numbers connected to COPD and its treatment are offered in the article by Warren. In several descriptive studies, the authors find it necessary to identify the number of the participants and some basic data with the help of which it is possible to develop investigations and analyze the relations between the patients with COPD and nurses who are not sure of their readiness to provide people with the required care. The supporters of longitudinal studies do not find it obligatory to rely on statistical data only. What they preferred is to set the purposes and develop the ideas with the help of which people may understand the threats of smoking and the inability to heal people with COPD in all cases. Nurses are responsible for clear explanations and evidence which they present to patients, this is why some authors define statistics as not the only effective method to improve the situation. In the articles by Torres, Stahl, Simmons, Barnett, Magfiret, and Schaffer, statistics does not play an integral role to play the gravity of the chosen problem. The point is that the authors decide to use their skills and knowledge and develop qualitative studies with the help of which they try to contribute to the health care sphere and explain nurses their main purposes. In comparison to these works, the article by Chalmers deserves special attention as the author focuses on the literature review. And Puffer, McCann, and the team of Wu follow the standards and try to prove their positions using credible statistical data.
Each author uses special examples or personal experiences to prove the urgency of the chosen topic.
Barnett, as a nurse specialist, admits the importance of nurse-patient relations as the feeling of guilt may become rather frustrating for both sides. Chalmers uses examples from life when women have to quit smoking because of pregnancy and supports the idea of smoking cessation. De Torres relies on the mortality ratings with the help of which a person may understand his/her chances to survive smoking constantly. Hakesley-Brown (2009) makes use of the tables where the benefits of smoking cessation are mentioned. Login relies on the results achieved in the VAS and MBS. McCann and Puffer introduce the rates of nursing care and its effects on patients’ conditions. Other articles attract the attention of the reader by a variety of real-life examples, experiences, and emotions which are connected to the health care sphere.
The proposed change is all about the attention to the conditions of how students get their education and develop their practical skills. Nowadays, it is impossible to be sure of the readiness of each nurse to provide the patient with COPD with the required treatment. The articles chosen for this task may be used as successful guides and hints on how nurses should develop relations with patients. Each nurse needs to comprehend that such a disease like COPD has to be treated in several stages, and patients cannot cope with the challenges independently. This is why nurses aim at treating and helping their patients. Each article is a good source to support the idea of improvement of nursing practice and the definition of COPD as a disease that requires additional attention and care from the nurses’ side. Sometimes, it seems to be easier to use statistical data and prove the urgency of the chosen problem. And sometimes, it is better to focus on describing and evaluating to realize what kind of help is really required and what patients should be treated thoroughly.
Reference List
Barnett, M. (2005). Caring of patient with COPD: A reflective account. Nursing Standard, 19 (36), 41-46.
Chalmers, K., Gupton, A., & Katz, A. (2004). Issues and innovations in nursing practice: The description and evaluation of a longitudinal pilot study of a smoking relapse/reduction intervention for perinatal women. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 45 (2), 162-171. Web.
De Torres, J., Casanova, C., & Abreu, J. (2006). Gender associated differences in determinants of quality of life in patients with COPDL: A case series study. Health & Quality of Life Outcomes, 4, 72-77. Web.
Hakesley-Brown, R. (2009). Brief interventions to reduce tobacco-related diseases. Nursing Standard, 23 (28), 43-47. Web.
Ilgin, D., Ozalevli, S., Arif, C., & Ucan, E. (2010). Gender effect on the use of Modified Borg and Visual Analog Scales in the evaluation of dyspnoea in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 26 (1), 76-81. Web.
Magfiret, K. (2005). Preparing nurses for the global pandemic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 27 (2), 127-133. Web.
McCann, T., Clark, E., Rowe, K. (2005). Undergraduate nursing students’ attitudes towards smoking health promotion. Nursing & Health Sciences, 7 (3), 164-74. Web.
Practice nurse numbers linked to better outcomes. (2010). Nursing Standard, 24 (19), 11.
Puffer, S. & Rashidian, A. (2004). Practice nurses’ intentions to use clinical guidelines. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 47 (5), 500-509. Web.
Schaffer, S., Yoon, S., Zadezensky, I. (2009). A review of smoking cessation: Potentially risky effects on prescribed medications. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18 (11), 1533-1540. Web.
Schikowski, T., Ranft, U., Sugiri, D., & Harth, V. (2010). Decline in air pollution and change in prevalence in respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in elderly women. Respiratory Research, 11, 113-123. Web.
Simmons, P. & Simmons, M. (2004). Informed nursing practice: The administration of oxygen to patients with COPD. MEDSURG Nursing, 13 (2), 82-86. Web.
Stahl, E., Lindberg, A., & Jansson, S.A. (2005). Health-related quality of life is related to COPD disease severity. Health & Quality of Life Outcomes, 3, 56-59. Web.
Warren, E. (2009). The patient with COPD. Practice Nurse, 38 (9), 17-22. Web.
Wu, H.S., Wu, S.C., Lin, J.G., & Lin, L.C. Issues and innovations in nursing practice: Effectiveness of acupressure in improving dyspnoea in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 45 (3), 252-259. Web.