The effect of inhaler training on fatigue levels, daily life activities, and respiratory function tests of the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The symptoms such as dyspnea and fatigue, which develop as COPD progresses, decrease physical activity levels of patients and makes gradually difficult for them to perform their daily activities. The inhalation therapy constitutes the basis of the COPD treatment. The training on the inhaler therapy will enable to increase the efficiency of the treatment in the patients with COPD and to decrease the symptoms. This study was planned and conducted as a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design in order to examine the effect of training regarding use of inhaler drug, which was given to patients diagnosed with COPD, on their fatigue levels, daily life activities and respiratory function tests. This study was conducted with a total of 85 patients (43 in the intervention group and 42 in the control group), who were diagnosed with COPD and received inhaler therapy, between January2014 and June 2014. The data of the Intervention Group and Control Group were collected by using questionnaire, respiratory function tests, COPD and Asthma Fatigue Scale (CAFS), Medical Research Council Scale (MRCS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Basal Dyspnea Index (BDI), and KATZ Activities of Daily Living Scale. After questionnaire and respiratory function tests were performed on the patients in the intervention group, the training on inhaler therapy was given to them and their questionnaires were repeated. On the other hand, the patients in the control group were not given the training. As a result of the data collected; decreases in the fatigue (35.32±14.36) and dyspnea (VAS) levels (4.76±2.50), increase in level of daily life activities (27.88±3.96), and significant improvement (p<0.05) in the respiratory function test were determined in the intervention group after the training. There was no change in parameters in the control group (p>0.05). Our results revealed that the training on inhaler therapy given to the patients with COPD provided improvement in their fatigue, daily life activities, and respiratory function tests. In accordance with these results, it is recommended for nurses to apply an inhaler drug training program in care and management of the patients with COPD.