Pulmonary Interventions (Henning - Online)

Course overview

Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) is a medically supervised program designed to improve pulmonary health as well as health literacy related to pulmonary conditions and associated risk factors. PR has been shown to improve function and quality of life, reduce dyspnea, increase exercise and activity tolerance and to reduce hospitalizations. There is Level 1 evidence supporting pulmonary rehab for patients with COPD and continued evidence evolving for the support of pulmonary rehab in other diseases such as interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis, pulmonary hypertension (Rochester et al, 2015), ( Nici et al, 2005). The cycle of inactivity associated with dyspnea leads to frailty in pulmonary patients often leading to increased disease burden, risk of adverse events, risk of falls, all-cause mortality, and hospital admissions/re-admissions. Unfortunately, many barriers exist to attending and completing a pulmonary rehab program. Because of these barriers, physical and occupational therapists may find themselves performing pulmonary PT and OT in non-traditional pulmonary rehab settings (i.e. home health or traditional outpatient therapy). This course provides physical and occupational therapists with a comprehensive understanding of pulmonary interventions across various clinical settings, including acute care, outpatient therapy, pulmonary rehab, inpatient rehab and home health. Participants will learn to assess and implement evidence-based interventions such as airway clearance techniques, breathing retraining, functional exercise programs, and energy conservation strategies. Through case studies and practical applications, therapists will develop confidence in optimizing pulmonary function to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.