The effect of training given to elderly patients with copd on their skills to use inhaler and their pulmonary functions

The purpose of the study conducted with pretest-posttest control group as quasi-experimental is to determine the effect of training given to elderly patients with COPD on their skills to use inhaler and their pulmonary functions. The study was conducted with 80 patients in a state hospital in Zonguldak between 01 January and 30 June 2011.?Patient Descriptive Information Form, Inhaler Using Skill Chart, and Pulmonary Function Test? were used to obtain data of the study. Patients included in the study were divided into two groups: experimental and control groups. Training of Inhaler Use was given to the patients in experimental group three times every other day during the study, inhaler using skills and pulmonary functions were evaluated before and after training. Data was collected by face-to-face interview method. To evaluate the data, descriptive statistical methods, chi-square test, independent samples t-test, and paired samples t-test were used.In the study, no statistically significant difference between the groups was determined when patients in experimental and control groups were compared in terms of descriptive features and disease-related properties (p>0.05).It was determined that there was no statistically significant difference between measurements of pretest-posttest pulmonary function test of patients included in the study (p>0.05). It was revealed that inhaler using skills of patients in experimental group developed after training compared to those before the training and patients in control group.The study concluded that the training of inhaler use given to patients in experimental group increased their rate of using the inhaler correctly; however this situation had no effect on pulmonary functions of patients.Key Words: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, elderly patients, inhaler using skill, pulmonary function test, patient education.