Evaluation of the efficiency of inhaler drug usage training given to individuals diagnosed with chronic obstructive LUNG disease (COPD)

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of training given to individuals with COPD on inhaler drug use on their inhaler drug use skills, dyspnea and disease severity. The research is of the randomized controlled experimental type. The data were collected in the chest diseases outpatient clinic of a university hospital between December 2022 and May 2023. A total of 90 patients, 45 in the intervention and 45 in the control group, who met the inclusion criteria were included. Before and after inhaler drug use training, inhaler drug use skills, dyspnea status (Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale) and disease severity were evaluated. Independent t-test, Analysis of Variance, Tukey test, Pearson correlation and chisquare tests were used in the analysis of the data. It was determined that there was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of gender, income level, smoking, year of diagnosis, device use, evaluation of their current health status and inhaler training (p>0.05). Between the intervention and control group; There is a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest in terms of inhaler drug use skill score (F=62,416; p<0.001) and dyspnea scale mean score (F=38.029; p<0.001), and there is a positive and positive difference in COPD assessment test score. it was determined that there was a very high level of relationship (r=0.905; p<0.001). As a result, inhaler drug education given to individuals with COPD, improvement in drug use skills also improved dyspnea and disease severity in individuals with COPD. It is extremely important for healthcare professionals, especially nurses, who have an important role in patient education, to provide inhaler drug training as well as care and treatment, and it is recommended to be done in a planned manner. Keywords: COPD, inhaler use, patient education,