Doente respiratório crónico

: diagnóstico de situação em utilizadores frequentes do serviço de urgência

Abstract

Respiratory diseases are currently one of the biggest causes of morbidity and mortality in Portugal, specifically chronic respiratory diseases. This is a health problem that affects people of all ages and, when not controlled, can become disabling. Within the different chronic respiratory diseases, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are prominent. The prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing all over the world, and particularly in Portugal, this is considered a highly concerning problem. Thus, it is necessary to implement healthcare management models that are able to respond to the population real needs. The management of the chronic disease is not always done in the best way, which leads to exacerbations of the disease, increasing use of the emergency services and increasing number of hospitalizations. It is crucial to adopt cohesive models focused on people and on their needs. Therefore, informed, prepared, and motivated patients will work together with their healthcare professional. This document consists of a final internship report for the acquisition of skills related to the master’s degree in Nursing with Specialization in Community and Public Health Nursing, in a Community Care Unit, in the north of Portugal. With the aim of identifying phenomena that are sensitive to nursing care, a situation diagnosis was carried out following the guidelines of a health planning, using a sample of patients with chronic respiratory disease and who are frequent users of the Emergency Service. After applying the data collection form and statistically analysing, 8 problems were identified. When these were prioritised, one problem stood out, which was - “Capacity to manage the compromised medication scheme". From the different needs identified in the analysed sample, it is possible to highlight these: ability to manage the compromised medication scheme; lack of adherence to the medication, diet, and exercise plan; lack of knowledge about strategies to control shortness of breath; ability to perform the compromised inhalation technique; unawareness about the use of healthcare services. Considering the identified diagnosis, specific interventions and their respective indicators were suggested. In addition, diagnostic decision trees were built as a tool to support nurses' decision-making.

Date of Award	6 Jun 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Armando Almeida (Supervisor)