Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease characterized by airflow obstruction, shortness of breath, and coughing up phlegm. The prevalence of morbidity and mortality due to COPD increases over time. One of the right efforts to reduce shortness of breath and increase blood oxygen levels in COPD patients is by applying diaphragmatic breathing relaxation techniques. This technique helps relax the respiratory muscles and increase alveolar ventilation, thereby reducing the respiratory rate and optimizing air excretion. This study aims to apply nursing interventions of diaphragmatic breathing relaxation techniques in an effort to overcome shortness of breath and increase oxygen saturation in COPD patients at Karel Sadsuitubun Langgur Hospital. The design of this study uses a descriptive method with an intervention-based case study approach with a sample size of 22 COPD patients who experience shortness of breath and decreased oxygen saturation. The implementation of the intervention carried out was the diaphragmatic breathing relaxation technique which was carried out 2 times a day for 3 days with a duration of each exercise of 5-10 minutes. After the application of diaphragmatic breathing relaxation techniques, COPD patients showed a decrease in the scale of shortness of breath, which was originally 100% of COPD patients experiencing shortness of breath decreased to 22.72%, while for oxygen saturation of COPD patients there was an increase, which was originally oxygen saturation of >97% only 0% of COPD patients increased to 81.82%. The evaluation showed that the application of diaphragmatic breathing relaxation techniques can overcome shortness of breath and increase oxygen saturation in COPD patients. It is expected that room nurses can pay more attention to the application of diaphragmatic breathing relaxation techniques as an effort to reduce shortness of breath and increase oxygen saturation in COPD patients.