Effects of evidence-based nursing for treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objective The effect of evidence-based nursing for treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was evaluated with the indicators of patients' compliance, improvement of pulmonary function and prevention of AECOPD(acute exacerbation of COPD).

Methods During January 2016 to May 2017, 86 hospitalized patients with COPD were divided into two groups(each 43 cases), namely nursing with evidence-based model group and nursing with common model(as reference) group. All patients were followed up for 12 months. The indicators, including pulmonary function, CAT scores, and 6-minute walking tests before and after treatment, as well as the scores of self-rating anxiety and depression scores, treatment compliance, and quality of life were compared between these two groups. The differences of AEECOPD seizures and death risk between the two groups were analyzed.

Results The FEV₁%, FEV₁/FVC, 6MWT and the CAT scores of patients in both groups were significantly improved after being treatment(P < 0.05), and the patients in the evidence-based nursing group showed more improvement compared with patients in the reference group (P < 0.05). Similarly, the scores of SAS, SDS, MASES, and QLQ-C30 of all patients were improved after treatment and the patients in the evidence-based nursing group showed more improvement (P < 0.05). It was found that the incidence of acute attacks in the reference group and evidence-based nursing group within 12 months after discharge was 67.44%(29/43)and 46.51%(20/43), respectively. The risk of acute attacks in the evidence-based nursing group was significantly lower than that in the reference group. There were 2 cases of death in the reference group and 1 case of death in the evidence-based nursing group within 12 months after discharge.

Conclusion The evidence-based nursing model could effectively improve the symptoms, anxiety and depression status of COPD patients, improve lung function and treatment compliance, and significantly reduce the risk of acute exacerbations of COPD.