THE IMPORTANCE OF PATIENT HEALTH EDUCATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ASTHMA AND BRONCHITIS: THE ROLE OF NURSING AND RESPIRATORY THERAPY

Abstract

The quality of nursing education and the knowledge of nurses and respiratory therapists in asthma and bronchitis seem to have a direct influence on the management of patients with these clinical conditions, reducing the costs of public and private health institutions. It is necessary to organize ongoing education programs for nursing professionals and respiratory therapists aimed at improving their knowledge in the field of asthma and bronchitis.

To determine the value of education that nurses give to individuals with asthma, a systematic review of the literature on this matter was conducted. A critical literature review was carried out based on the taking of independent and duplicate systematic actions and primary research articles examining the interventions of nurses in asthma consultations, with an unrestricted period till December 2, 2019. Eleven articles, five of which were systematic reviews and six narrative reviews, met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed.

Both asthma systemic reviews defended the importance of the role of nurses in the control and treatment of this immunological disease. The matters on which nurses should educate individuals with asthma were important, as were the methodological flaws of the included primary research studies concerning educational interventions on asthma. None of the respiratory therapists had sufficient evidence to justify the role of these professionals in the same clinical context. On this account, the quality of evidence is moderate due to the retrospective observational studies included. There is a need for further prospective primary research to study the impact of primary or adjuvant respiratory therapy on the management of patients with asthma or bronchitis, or both; measure the same or comparably substantial to other nursing interventions. Therefore, the quality of asthma therapy education, as recommended by respiratory therapists, carrying out observations, respiratory control, adherence to the therapeutic regimen, and management of environmental analysis, could represent a significant difference in the results of individuals in the health system with asthma, bronchitis, or both; and formulate appropriate public health measures and health professionals addressing agreements.