Introduction
A chance to practice at an appropriate medical institution helps students to understand the main principles of nurses’ work and duties. There are a number of steps which have to be taken regularly to provide patients in need with the required care and treatment. And one of the most significant points in nursing practice is to be ready to identify the disease and inform the rest of the team about the state of affairs (Rowe & Lang, 2008). The decision to use the PICO model in clinical practice (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2010) is usually made. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) has been identified in several patients, and in spite of the fact that it is usually defined as a fatal disease (Halpin, 2004), some treatment and care are still possible. Still, any kind of treatment has to be properly grounded and supported by the evident facts.
Identified Components of PICOT
Population of Focus
White female smokers with the smoking stage over 10 years and complaints of shortness of breathing are taken into consideration. It is a well-known fact that during the last decade’s women smokes a lot and, in comparison to men’s one, women passion to smoking is hard to control (Quinn, 2005); this is why female smokers are under a threat of having COPD with the consequences of different levels. Due to the current symptoms and pain, COPD is the only right diagnosis of the women with the above-described complaints that has been already treated.
Intervention
Due to their activeness, some women prefer to use of bronchodilators, anticholinergics in particular, to promote the relaxation of the muscles and improve the air flow. However, patients are not completely satisfied with the treatment offered and want to use some other alternative methods.
Comparison
In addition to the already used methods of treatment, patients need to be prescribed to pass pulmonary rehabilitation to solve the existing chronic respiratory problems and improve the physical and psychological conditions.
Outcome
As a result of the chosen treatment, white female smokers get chances to improve their health and control personal breathing. With the help of the chosen rehabilitation, it is possible to stable shortness of breathing and identify the sense of control over personal emotions. Though previous treatment was not as successful as it was expected, certain improvements and additional methods should positively influence women’s health. Of course, the only condition such patients have to follow is to give up smoking or, at least, try to reduce the portions of tobacco in the organism. Unfortunately, regular smokers with COPD have lower chances to be fully recovered.
Time
Taking into consideration the fact that women have been taken bronchodilators for about one year and the results are not that positive, it is required to pass the chosen rehabilitation for one week taking the same anticholinergics and observe the outcomes. In case there are no negative outcomes, it is required to follow the prescribed treatment for about 6 months.
Developed PICOT Statement
White women smokers (> 10 years) over 65 years of age with COPD and shortness of breathing (P) are prescribed with pulmonary rehabilitation (I) in addition to the already used drug regimen (C) in order to affect the shortness of breathing and stable the sense of emotions’ control (O); the chosen treatment is prescribed for over 6 month trial period (T).
References
Halpin, D.M. (2004). COPD: Your questions answered. St. Louis: Elsevier Health Sciences. Web.
Melnyk, B. & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2010). Evidence-based practice in nursing and healthcare: A guide to best practice. (2nd ed.) Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Web.
Quinn, C. (2005). 100 questions & answers about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Web.
Rowe, B. & Lang, E.S. (2008). Evidence-based emergency medicine. Hoboken: John Willey and Sons. Web.