Introduction: For colds and some other upper respiratory tract diseases, treatment can be symptomatic, especially since most infections are caused by viruses. Phytopharmaceutical treatment is well accepted by the general population in Slovenia and worldwide. In addition to their basic use, medicinal plants also have antimicrobial properties, which are also investigated in this thesis. The nurse has a role to play in infection control, health education and the promotion of healthy lifestyles, all of which have an impact on the infection rates of the individual, the community and the wider community. Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to review the literature to investigate what the nurse can advise patients to improve their health in relation to upper respiratory tract infections, and to explore how some natural substances work to improve respiratory and immune function and inhibit the growth of micro-organisms. Methods: The descriptive method was used in this thesis. We conducted a literature review on the antimicrobial activity of specific plants and a literature review on the role of the nurse in upper respiratory tract diseases. Original scientific articles published from 2017 onwards were included. Literature was searched in Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed search databases, during the time period from March to April 2022. Literature was searched in these databases using specific search strings. The literature is represented using the PRISMA model. We included 17 articles in the analysis. Results: In the studies, the authors described the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial properties of Hedera helix, Foeniculum vulgare, Pimpinella anisum, Thymus vulgaris, Glycyrrhiza glabra and Cetraria islandica. The effect of Primula spp. and Hedera helix was investigated in the relief of upper respiratory tract symptoms. For rhinitis, sinusitis and colds, research has shown the beneficial effect of nasal rinsing with isotonic saline. The role of the nurse has been explored in health education and in encouraging children to practice hand hygiene, where interventions have helped to reduce infections and absenteeism. The authors suggested a link between self-efficacy, health literacy and healthy lifestyles. The percentage of decision to receive influenza vaccination was low. Discussion and conclusion: In our review of phytopharmaceuticals, we summarise their traditional uses, present evidence-based relief of cold symptoms and their antimicrobial properties. As a respiratory health care intervention, nasal lavage with isotonic saline was presented in the thesis. The nurse's task is health education, promoting responsibility for health, active involvement in preventive programmes and promotion of vaccination.
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