Hand-held fans: Physical Properties and Perceptions of Patients with COPD.

Rationale: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may remain breathless despite optimal medical treatment. Hand-held fans (HHFs) are recommended to relieve breathlessness, but little is known about physical properties of different fans and the impact HHF properties may have on patient perceptions of fans.

Objective: To describe the physical properties of HHFs and investigate the relationship of these properties to patient fan preference.

Maintenance of non-pharmacological strategies 6 months after patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attend a breathlessness service: a qualitative study.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the degree to which non-pharmacological strategies for chronic breathlessness are sustained 6 months after completing a breathlessness service in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and patient perceptions regarding the need for ongoing support.

Design: A qualitative approach was taken using semistructured telephone interviews. Thematic analysis used an integrative approach.

Confidence of nurses with inhaler device education and competency of device use in a specialised respiratory inpatient unit.

We performed a cross-sectional study within a specialised respiratory inpatient unit assessing 25 nurses' [85% female, 8.0 ± 7.9 (mean ± SD) years' experience in nursing] confidence in providing inhaler device education using a self-reported questionnaire, and their competency (% correct steps) in using eight different inhaler devices.

Patient perspectives on how to optimise benefits from a breathlessness service for people with COPD.

This study aimed to inform understanding of how to optimise patient-perceived benefits from a breathlessness service designed for patients with moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Westmead Breathlessness Service (WBS) trains patients to self-manage over an 8-week programme, with multidisciplinary input and home visits. A qualitative approach was taken, using semi-structured telephone interviews.