Why hospitals continue use incentive spirometry

[Blackheartednurse]

I was recently reading that new studies shows that incentive spirometry have not shown to decrease pulmonary complications after cardiac or abdominal surgeries.The studies also revealed that deep breathing and coughing is just as effective as is incentive spirometry.

[linRdsNay]

Because it's something that's measurable?

[cb_rn]

I always show patients my "Not so fun" game and tell them it is a way to see that they are taking a nice deep breath. I think assigning them a task to do on a specific piece of equipment gives it more importance in their mind, if you know what I mean.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

In my experience, patients don't really know how to cough & deep breathe effectively. This is how I teach them. What sometimes feels like a deep breath really isn't, and the spirometer helps the patients, I think. I actually think this isn't used often enough on my floor, because it's a "medical floor."

[Intern67]

I was recently reading that new studies shows that incentive spirometry have not shown to decrease pulmonary complications after cardiac or abdominal surgeries.The studies also revealed that deep breathing and coughing is just as effective as is incentive spirometry.

If incentive spirometry was "not shown to decrease pulmonary complications" and deep breathing and coughing is "just as effective" as incentive spirometry....then both are equally ineffective?

I am pretty sure that is not what you meant to say. Can you provide the authors and publications for the studies you are citing?

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Personally, I prefer pinwheels and blowing bubbles. But then again, I do peds. I've got to think though, I bet a little bottle of bubbles is cheaper than an incentive spirometer. :)

[shiccy]

The problem, from my perspective, isn't the technology, it's the end user. If they don't use it, of course it's not going to work...

If you remind them constantly and re re re re re reeducate them, for those that actually are willing to have a bit of pain for the gain (IMHO). Until they take them off the shelves and docs aren't able to order them anymore, we'll still have to use them.

[pers]

I've always had better luck with patients using an incentive spirometer if only for the fact that it sits on their table as a reminder that they should be using it.

[scoochy]

Personally, I like the incentive spirometer. If patients are properly educated on its use, they are able to set goals for themselves re: deep breathing. Patients who are motivated to "get well soon" will use them. As Shiccy said, "re re re reeducate them."

[tablefor9, RN]

IS works...when the patient actually 1. knows how to use it correctly, and 2. will use it in conjunction with other preventative measures. I'd have to say that *this* is why.

As an aside, Docs order them. And, not to hijack your thread, but a lot of Docs aren't great at staying up to date about evidence based practices.

[nursel56]

Children of all ages like things that give them a different type of feedback? Worked for a diet doctor who had a ketone breath-ylizer, the only real purpose was sort of a novelty effect for the patients because we only weighed them every other visit.

[neutrophil]

Incentive Spirometer!! Wow, what a tool, as a CNA working registry in different hospitals, they all used it. Guess what. It worked. They would use it and cough. Some would not want to try that hard. So I would show them. "This is where your last cough was." So they would push. It challenges them, it measures their effort. C&DB is what it's all about, but the "Incentive," as in a reason to do it, "Spirometer," as in a way to measure. Really does work. To leave the Incentive Spirometer, would be to take a step backwards.