The College of Nursing at the University of Baghdad examined the master’s thesis titled: “The Effect of Coughing Exercises Versus Incentive Spirometry on Respiratory Outcomes and Recovery Among Children Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” submitted by the graduate student Rusul Khalid Kadhim, under the supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Zaid Waheed Ajil, held in the Grand Hall of the college.
The study primarily aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of coughing exercises versus incentive spirometry (IS) in improving post-operative respiratory status and arterial blood gas parameters, while reducing pulmonary complications and accelerating clinical recovery indices in children following cardiac surgery.
The findings demonstrated the high efficacy of both non-pharmacological nursing interventions, showing statistically significant improvements compared to the control group. Notably, the rate of children who remained free from post-operative pulmonary complications reached 85.7% in the incentive spirometry group and 77.1% in the coughing exercise group, compared to only 14.3% in the control group. Both interventions significantly reduced the median length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) to two days compared to five days for routine care, with incentive spirometry demonstrating a slight relative superiority in promoting overall recovery and mitigating atelectasis and dyspnea.
The researcher recommended incorporating incentive spirometry and coughing regimens into routine post-operative nursing protocols for pediatric patients in cardiac intensive care units, alongside providing specialized clinical training for nursing staff to apply evidence-based, non-pharmacological interventions that enhance healthcare quality and reduce hospital stays.
Following an in-depth scientific defense, the thesis was successfully approved, and the researcher was awarded a Master’s degree with an Excellence rating.
This study aligns directly with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) championed by the University of Baghdad, particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by reducing post-surgical pediatric complications and enhancing survival outcomes, Goal 4 (Quality Education) through enriching academic literature with rigorous clinical trials supporting evidence-based nursing, and Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by optimizing healthcare resource utilization and decreasing ICU hospitalization periods.
