Hazelett Britney N, Paton Alichia, Majid Adnan, Schreefer Kimberly, Folch Erik, Johnson Margaret M, Patel Neal M, Abia-Trujillo David, Fernandez-Bussy Sebastian
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep Medicine, and Respiratory Services, Mayo Clinic in Florida, Jacksonville, FL.
Division of Thoracic Surgery and Interventional Pulmonology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Chest. 2021 May;159(5):2090-2098. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2020.11.041. Epub 2020 Dec 16.
COPD may cause profound dyspnea, functional impairment, and reduced quality of life. Available pharmacologic therapy provides suboptimal symptom improvement in many patients. Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR), achieved with endobronchial valve placement, can effectively improve dyspnea and functional status in appropriately selected patients. Operationalizing a safe and effective BLVR program requires appropriate oversight, which can be achieved by a BLVR nurse coordinator (NC). By identifying and developing screening practices, coordinating multidisciplinary diagnostic evaluation, and establishing safe efficient patient flow throughout the entire care process, a BLVR NC can optimize patient care, safety, experience, efficiency, and overall outcomes. This article details the role of our NC to facilitate extrapolation to other institutions.
