This course provides nurses working with a geriatric population, a review of a common pulmonary disease among the elderly; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). After completing this course, nurses who care for those with COPD should be better able to understand current medical treatment resulting in a higher level of care for these individuals. This course will also provide a brief overview of COPD, an understanding of physiological changes to the respiratory system as a person ages, and direction on how to provide a better quality of life for an affected individual. IMPORTANT NOTE: It is acknowledged that individual competencies of nurses vary between nurses and across categories of nursing professionals (RNs and RPNs) and are based on knowledge, skills, attitudes, and judgment enhanced over time by experience and education. It is expected that individual nurses will perform only those aspects of care for which they have received appropriate education and experience. Both RNs and RPNs should seek consultation in instances where the patient’s care needs surpass the individual nurse’s ability to act independently.