Management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients admitted to a tertiary care centre for exacerbation of their disease.

Background: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with an accelerated decline in lung function and a significant decrease in health status. Maintenance therapy with respiratory medications can reduce the risk of such exacerbations.

Objective: To determine whether respiratory maintenance medications were being prescribed in accordance with the 2007 COPD guidelines of the Canadian Thoracic Society for patients admitted to hospital for acute exacerbation of COPD.

Respiratory hygiene in emergency departments: compliance, beliefs, and perceptions.

Background: Low respiratory hygiene compliance among health care workers of emergency departments has become a major concern in the spread of respiratory infections. Our objective was to determine the compliance with respiratory hygiene of triage nurses at 2 university hospital centers and to identify factors influencing compliance to the respiratory hygiene principles of emergency health care workers.

Methods: A 2-part, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted at 2 training centers.