Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are significant public health burdens. Currently, more than 25 million people in the United States have asthma (HealthyPeople.gov, 2019). As an advanced practice nurse, you will likely encounter patients who will present with respiratory disorders, including asthma or COPD. Understanding specific treatment protocols as well as the types of pharmacotherapeutics used to treat respiratory disorders is important to ensure the effective and safe delivery of advanced nursing practice.

This week, you will evaluate drug therapy plans for patients who present with asthma and analyze the stepwise approach to asthma treatment and management from a patient in your professional practice.

Reference: HealthyPeople.gov. (2019). Respiratory diseases. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/respiratory-diseases

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Evaluate drug therapy plans for asthma
• Assess the impact of asthma treatments on patients
• Analyze the stepwise approach to asthma treatment and management

Learning Resources

Required Readings (click to expand/reduce) 

Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants (2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Chapter 62, “Drugs for Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” (pp. 557–579)
Chapter 63, “Drugs for Allergic Rhinitis, Cough, and Colds” (pp. 580–588)

Document: APA Presentation Template

Required Media (click to expand/reduce) 

Speed Pharmacology. (2020). Drugs for asthma and COPD (Made Easy) [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DVZ9pl0rGY
Note: This media program is approximately 14 minutes.

Speed Pharmacology. (2017). Antihistamines (Made Easy) [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5PHANcdA_E&t=25s
Note: This media program is approximately 10 minutes.

Optional Resources (click to expand/reduce) 

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. (2007). Expert panel report 3 (EPR3): Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm

This web resource presents guidelines for diagnosing and managing asthma and outlines treatment recommendations for specific age groups.
 

Assignment: Asthma and Stepwise Management

Asthma is a respiratory disorder that affects children and adults. Advanced practice nurses often provide treatment to patients with these disorders. Sometimes patients require immediate treatment, making it essential that you recognize and distinguish minor asthma symptoms from serious, life-threatening ones. Since symptoms and attacks are often induced by a trigger, advanced practice nurses must also help patients identify their triggers and recommend appropriate management options. Like many other disorders, there are various approaches to treating and managing care for asthmatic patients depending on individual patient factors.  

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One method that supports the clinical decision making of drug therapy plans for asthmatic patients is the stepwise approach, which you explore in this Assignment.

To Prepare

• Reflect on drugs used to treat asthmatic patients, including long-term control and quick relief treatment options for patients. Think about the impact these drugs might have on patients, including adults and children.
• Consider how you might apply the stepwise approach to address the health needs of a patient in your practice.
• Reflect on how stepwise management assists health care providers and patients in gaining and maintaining control of the disease.

By Day 7 of Week 3

Create a 5- to 6-slide PowerPoint presentation that can be used in a staff development meeting on presenting different approaches for implementing the stepwise approach for asthma treatment. Be sure to address the following:

• Describe long-term control and quick relief treatment options for the asthma patient from your practice as well as the impact these drugs might have on your patient.
• Explain the stepwise approach to asthma treatment and management for your patient.
• Explain how stepwise management assists health care providers and patients in gaining and maintaining control of the disease. Be specific.

Instructions

• Please answer all questions associated with the case study as thoroughly as you can.
• Please use at least 2 references when responding to the Case Study unless otherwise noted.
• There is no particular length requirement as long as you answer the questions thoroughly and use a reference(s) to support your responses.
• Use the most current APA edition when writing and referencing.
• Please proofread your papers.

Nurse Millie Adams is a nursing administrator at Good Care Hospital, a facility that serves as an educational training hospital. Nurse Adams has noticed several trends recently: nurse turnover has been higher than usual; sick leave has increased; student nurses frequently request transfers to other facilities. In searching for answers, she hears a lot of talk about nurses being threatened or verbally confronted.

• What are the problems and possible explanations for these problems?
• What are the potential sources for these problems?
• What information does Nurse Adams need, and how should she gather this information?
• What could be done to resolve the problems?