Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is unnoticable at first, and then it progresses slowly, but steadily. It is common for smokers and can lead to severe invalidity or even death. It is therefore crucial for the disease to be diagnosed early on and for patients to be treated appropriately. Patients should also receive proper health education so they can keep the quality of life they are used to.Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to describe the health education of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods: A descriptive method was used with an overview of literature both from Slovenia and abroad. Literature was chosen based on the subject matter, its availability online, language (English and Croatian)), and its publication date – from 2005 do 2016. Discussion and conclusion: A nurse, following a prepared plan, carries out health education. A plan of health education is prepared by a nurse and adjusted in regards to a patient’s health and knowledge. A nurse explains the disease to the patient, along with the importance of smoking less or even completely quitting since many patients still smoke despite suffering from the disease. A nurse teaches the patient about proper diet and long-term oxygen treatment. The thesis describes the health education about proper inhalation therapy, proper dieting and long-term oxygen treatment at home. It establishes the importance of including and additionally educating general nurses as well as home care nurses which would improve treatment and lower the number of hospitalisations.
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