Copd Care Plan free essay sample

Martin, a Respiratory Therapist with a degree in Elementary Education and over 30 years experience in respiratory care, who promotes understanding of COPD through posting educational materials that are easy to understand, and actively responding to patient posts and questions. BreathingBetterLivingWell. com was also founded by Jane M. Martin. The main patient concern was finding others who understood what they were going through. -Some voiced a sense of loneliness. -Others did not want to scare loved ones or cause worry, but needed someone to talk to. Any many had fears of dying or the unknown that they did not want to express to their family or show weakness. -Some were looking for support or advice from those with similar experiences. -Others wanted companionship. -And a few had a family member or spouse that did not or did not want to realize the severity of their condition or accused them of exaggerating their symptoms. We will write a custom essay sample on Copd Care Plan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another common patient concern was what financial resources are available. -How do you qualify for financial help? -How do you apply for SSI benefits and Disability? -Where can you find discounted medication resources? And finally, many patients were looking for their condition or symptoms to be explained. -They wanted to learn more about their diagnosis. -They were curious as to how soon you may experience symptoms after diagnosis. -A few were experiencing panic attacks and wanted to know if others had the same experience and what could cause them. (Albuterol can cause panic attacks) What I found surprising was the overwhelmingly optimistic attitude of many of the members and their desire to share their experiences and new information while offering encouragement. A common phrases was â€Å"COPD is not a death sentence. † Even or especially when some patients would post a negative or depressing comment, it seemed others from their community were right there to lift their spirits and instill hope. I would definitely recommend patients who can navigate the internet to join a blog to increase their support system. Patient Care Plan GOLDs definition of COPD: â€Å"A preventable and treatable disease with some significant extrapulmonary effects that may contribute to the severity in individual patients. Its pulmonary component is characterized by irflow limitation that is not fully reversible. The airflow limitation is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lung to noxious particles or gases. † COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, but is projected to take the number three position by 2030. It accounts for ~5% of all deaths annually. Cardiovascular diseases 2-Cerebrovascular diseases 3-Cancers 4-COPD The prevalence of COPD is nearly equal among men versus women, but female COPD patients have about three times the mortality rate of their male ounterparts. The reason for this is unclear, but may be due to the increased tobacco usage and decreased smoking cessation in women compared to men. COPD is not curable, therefore it is important to encourage proper treatment to improve the patients quality of life. It is imperative for pharmacists to understand the diagnosis process for COPD and be able to interpret basic pulmonary function tests in order to effectively council patients and recommend a care plan.