Prevention of Readmission following Acute COPD Exacerbation through Nonpharmacological Interventions
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Nursing
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
It is expected that by the year 2020, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, will serve as the third leading cause of death among adults; as it is now currently ranked as the fourth leading cause of death. As more factors continue to be identified in relation to causing acute exacerbations of this disease, individual comorbidities at various levels of severity make it difficult to pinpoint exact triggers for COPD patients. It has been suggested that collaborating with respiratory therapists, personalizing discharge education and information packets for home reference, and placing a greater focus on screening for mental health comorbidities could yield greater compliance with instructions and also decrease the risk of a patient being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Although these admissions may not be in relation to the initial COPD exacerbation, these suggested efforts have a greater chance of improving patient outcomes and adherence to plans for managing COPD, as well as identifying new and maintaining known comorbidities. The lack of research in relation to these suggestions makes it difficult to create and implement new policies, but it is expected that an abundance of research will prove these nonpharmacological interventions and screenings to be effective in the future.
Prevention of Readmission following Acute COPD Exacerbation through Nonpharmacological Interventions
It is expected that by the year 2020, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, will serve as the third leading cause of death among adults; as it is now currently ranked as the fourth leading cause of death. As more factors continue to be identified in relation to causing acute exacerbations of this disease, individual comorbidities at various levels of severity make it difficult to pinpoint exact triggers for COPD patients. It has been suggested that collaborating with respiratory therapists, personalizing discharge education and information packets for home reference, and placing a greater focus on screening for mental health comorbidities could yield greater compliance with instructions and also decrease the risk of a patient being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Although these admissions may not be in relation to the initial COPD exacerbation, these suggested efforts have a greater chance of improving patient outcomes and adherence to plans for managing COPD, as well as identifying new and maintaining known comorbidities. The lack of research in relation to these suggestions makes it difficult to create and implement new policies, but it is expected that an abundance of research will prove these nonpharmacological interventions and screenings to be effective in the future.