Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive and debilitating respiratory disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide. It is characterized by airflow obstruction, persistent respiratory symptoms, and progressive lung function decline. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD, 2024) estimates that COPD is the third leading cause of death globally. In Nigeria, COPD is becoming a significant public health issue due to increasing tobacco use, indoor air pollution, and exposure to occupational hazards (Olawale et al., 2023).
Nurses play a critical role in managing COPD by providing patient education, administering medications, monitoring respiratory function, and assisting in pulmonary rehabilitation. At Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, nurses are actively involved in COPD management, yet they face multiple challenges that hinder their ability to provide optimal care. These challenges include a lack of specialized respiratory training, limited access to essential medications, and the burden of high patient loads (Bashir & Adamu, 2024).
Despite the rising prevalence of COPD in Nigeria, research on the challenges nurses encounter in managing the disease remains limited. Addressing these challenges is crucial to improving patient outcomes and enhancing the quality of COPD care at ABUTH, Zaria. This study seeks to identify the key barriers faced by nurses and recommend solutions for improving COPD management in a tertiary healthcare setting.
Managing COPD requires a multidisciplinary approach, with nurses playing a vital role in patient care and symptom management. However, in many Nigerian hospitals, including ABUTH, Zaria, nurses struggle with inadequate resources, limited training opportunities, and high patient-to-nurse ratios. Research indicates that poor access to bronchodilators, oxygen therapy, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs significantly affects the quality of COPD management (Ibrahim et al., 2024).
Additionally, COPD patients often require long-term care, yet nurses are frequently overburdened with acute cases, making it challenging to provide continuous monitoring and follow-up care. The emotional and physical toll of managing chronic respiratory diseases also contributes to burnout among nurses. These issues highlight the need for an in-depth investigation into the challenges nurses face in COPD management at ABUTH, Zaria, and potential interventions to improve care delivery.
The study focuses on nurses managing COPD at ABUTH, Zaria. Limitations include the potential difficulty in obtaining hospital records and variability in nurses' experiences across different hospital units.
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