Patients’ experience of identifying and managing exacerbations in COPD: a qualitative study

Running head: ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Williams, V., Hardinge, M., Ryan, S., & Farmer, A. (2014). Patients’ experience of
identifying and managing exacerbations in COPD: a qualitative study. Primary Care
Respiratory Society, 1-6.
Student’s Name
University

ARTICLE ANALYSIS
1. Background of the study
a. The health issues
The health issue of study is identification of ways in which chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease patients manage exacerbations at home to reduce their rate of readmission.
b. Results of previous studies
The analysis of Williams, Hardinge, Ryan, & Farmer (2014) showed that there have been
inadequacies identifying methods of managing exacerbations since they have mostly failed
to identify ways through which patients can be assisted to manage exacerbations due to poor
methodologies in research that have thus failed to quantify propers strategies to be used in
management.
c. The significance of this study
The role of the study was to identify ways through which exacerbations can be managed to
reduce hospital admissions as a result of complicated cases of exacerbations. Since chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations can be managed at the individual level, then
teaching patients who determine exacerbations early and seek proper medical mechanisms
can reduce the rate of admission and fatal cases that take place in patient settings (Williams,
Hardinge, Ryan, & Farmer, 2014).
2. Overview of research design
a. Aim of the research
Study ways through which patients can manage exacerbations by responding to problem-
related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
b. What research design was used?
The researcher used grounded theory where they collect data through interviewing
respondents with the experience of the phenomenon until saturation is reached.
c. Describe the main characteristics of the research design identified.

ARTICLE ANALYSIS
The grounded theory approach is characterised by interaction between sampling methods and
data collection thus allowing the researcher to gather data on a rolling basis until the
saturation limit is reached (El-Hussein, Hirst, Salyers, & Osuji, 2014). This study only deals
with participants who have experience with the phenomenon of managing exacerbations
related to which chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The researcher uses a questioning theme that starts from the general to specific questions
where they are organised in a logical order to unearth the findings that the researcher seeks to
find (Strauss & Corbin, 2008). The questioning for each theme must be explored to saturation
before the researcher completes the study.
d. How did the research design chosen meet the aim(s) of the study?
Polit & Beck (2010) suggests that the grounded theory is fit for clinical research since it
provides guidelines for the researcher to follow during the research thus making the
qualitative research more clearer. Gelling (2014) adds that since it does not start with
hypothesis testing, but rather uses empirical data thus allowing room for creativity in data
collection leading to greater results than any other study.
3. Sampling
a. Characteristics of the participants
The study focused on patients who had once been admitted in the hospital with COPD related
cases or those who have prior experience in managing the disease. They were gathered from
rehabilitation programs, hospital records and practising nurse records.
b. The inclusion and exclusion criteria of the sample
The inclusion criteria was patients who had once suffered from COPD exacerbations thus
those who understood or had experience with management of exacerbations at home or on
their own.
c. Important of identify criteria for recruitment