PURPOSE
This study was to develop a critical pathway for COPD clients in home health care.
METHOD
Review of literature, Analysis of 10 cases of home health records of COPD clients without other major chronic illness, and Contents validity test.
RESULTS
1. Vertical axis(14 activities) : physical and mental assessment, family assessment, environment assessment, rights and duties of client, oxygen use and safety, education of disease process and symptom, medication, nutrition and elimination, tests, activities, respiratory exercise, sleeping pattern, consultations and discharge planning. 2. Horizontal axis was set by the number of visits(average number of visits is 6.4) and vertical axis was set with 14 activities and the contents which should have occurred, according to the time frames of the horizontal axis. 3. According to the contents validity test, among the total of 234 items, 176 items showed over 83% agreement and 58 items showed less than 83% agreement. Those items with less than 83% agreements were either deleted or revised.
CONCLUSION
this critical pathway is applicable to the home health care of COPD clients to provide quality home nursing care services at lower cost.