Clinical Research Directory

Impact of Nurse-Led Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Dyspnea, Fatigue and Self-Efficacy in COPD Patients

Sponsor: University of Health Sciences Lahore

Summary

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory condition characterized by airflow limitation, dyspnea, and fatigue, significantly impairing quality of life. Globally, COPD is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with its burden disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries such as Pakistan, where healthcare resources are limited and structured rehabilitation programs are scarce. Despite evidence supporting pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) as an effective intervention for improving physical capacity, symptom control, and quality of life, its implementation in Pakistan remains minimal. Nurse-led PR programs, which integrate education, and exercise have demonstrated positive outcomes internationally; however, their feasibility and effectiveness in resource-limited settings are largely unexplored. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the impact of a nurse-led PR program in improving dyspnea, fatigue and self-efficacy in patients with COPD. Adults (aged ≥40 years) meeting eligibility criteria will be randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. Prior to the start of the intervention, baseline data will be collected from both groups using Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea, Fatigue Severity and COPD Self-Efficacy Scales to assess the severity of dyspnea, fatigue and level of COPD self-efficacy. The intervention group will be provided with a nurse-led structured PR program by the researcher which will include COPD education, breathing and strengthening exercises for 12 weeks. The first sessions will be conducted during outpatient visits and will be followed up by weekly telephonic reminders and bi-weekly face-to-face meet-up to ensure continued adherence and individualized guidance. While, the control group will receive standard care which include routine medical management. After completion of 12-week intervention, the same scales will be used to evaluate changes in the outcome variables i.e. dyspnea, fatigue and COPD self-efficacy. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize the demographic and clinical characteristics. To evaluate the effectiveness of the pulmonary rehabilitation program on dyspnea and fatigue status, Chi-square / Fisher's exact test will be used to compare the post-intervention results between the two groups. Independent sample t-test / Mann-Whitney test will be used to compare the self-efficacy score between the intervention and control groups. The findings of this study are expected to provide empirical evidence of the effectiveness of nurse-led pulmonary rehabilitation and inform evidence-based healthcare policies. The findings may also support the integration of nurse-led PR into routine COPD care as a feasible, cost-effective strategy to improve symptom management and quality of life among patients with COPD.

Official title: Impact of Nurse-Led Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Dyspnea, Fatigue and Self-Efficacy in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients in Tertiary Care Hospital, Lahore

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