Nursing Roles and Responsibilities in Outpatient Bronchiectasis Care: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disease with significant symptom burden and healthcare needs.
• Nurses play a vital role in managing chronic respiratory conditions, but their specific contributions to outpatient bronchiectasis care are not well-defined.
• Clear understanding of nursing roles is essential for workforce planning, interdisciplinary teamwork, and enhancing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map and synthesize existing evidence on the roles and responsibilities of nurses in the outpatient management of adults with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review was performed.
• Systematic searches were conducted across six major academic databases.
• Included were records detailing nursing roles, responsibilities, or care models in outpatient bronchiectasis settings, irrespective of study design.

Main Results:

• Five studies and two clinical guidelines (2002-2025) were included.
• Nurses' roles encompass clinical assessment, self-management support, care coordination, patient advocacy, and leadership.
• Limited evidence exists regarding measurable outcomes and standardized definitions of these nursing roles.

Conclusions:

• Nurses contribute to outpatient bronchiectasis care across five identified domains.
• Many identified roles are based on multidisciplinary recommendations rather than explicit nursing practice descriptions.
• Further research is needed to define nursing roles and evaluate nurse-led models in bronchiectasis outpatient care.