Respiratory Nurse Specialist: Role, Skills and Career Pathway

Chronic lung diseases such as COPD and asthma affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Respiratory nurse specialists help patients manage their conditions, avoid hospital admissions and live more fully.

Imagine a man with COPD admitted to hospital four times last winter. A respiratory nurse checks his inhaler technique and finds he’s been using it wrong for years. She gives him a rescue pack, a written action plan and a referral to pulmonary rehab. This winter, he stays at home.

What respiratory nurses do

• Run asthma and COPD clinics and review treatment
• Teach inhaler technique, a common reason treatments fail
• Perform and interpret spirometry
• Manage home oxygen and non-invasive ventilation
• Support early discharge and prevent readmissions
• Support stopping smoking

How to specialise

• Gain experience on respiratory wards or in primary care
• Take accredited asthma and COPD courses and spirometry training
• Consider a prescribing qualification

But why does inhaler technique matter so much?

Studies consistently find that many patients use inhalers incorrectly, meaning less medicine reaches their lungs. Checking technique at every contact is one of the simplest ways any nurse can improve outcomes, and it’s a core respiratory nursing skill.

Sources: World Health Organization (Chronic respiratory diseases), Global Initiative for Asthma, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, Association of Respiratory Nurse Specialists. This article is for general information.