Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in safe hands: An education programme for nurses in primary care in Norway

• Nurses in primary care lack the knowledge and skills to carry out satisfactory care for COPD patients.
• Nurses seem to give safer care to COPD patients after undertaking a COPD education programme.
• The most important components of the education programme were COPD medications, medical equipment, COPD exercises and nutrition.
• Implementing COPD education programmes for nurses in primary care are recommended.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health problem worldwide and is likely to increase during the next decades. Previous research indicates that nurses do not have sufficient knowledge to give optimal care for patients with COPD. The aim of this study was to explore experiences that primary care nurses had with an education programme aimed at improving the care of patients with COPD. We used qualitative focus group interviews with 11 nurses who had completed such an education programme. Qualitative thematic content analysis was used. One main theme was identified in the analysis: safety linked with security. This in turn comprised three themes: the experience of security in one's own knowledge, the experience of security in guidance and the experience of security in practical skills. Our findings indicate that knowledge and skill enhancement contributed to professional development and strengthened the nurses' confidence in their own knowledge and skills as caregivers for patients with COPD. In addition, their enhanced knowledge improved their confidence in performing nursing tasks and made the patients feel secure. Implementing such COPD education programmes for nurses in primary care is of importance in securing safer patient care.