Nurse-led interventions in enhancing outcomes for patients with tuberculosis: a scoping review

Abstract

Background:

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health challenge. In this context, nurses play a vital role in patient-centred interventions that report improvements in TB care outcomes.

Aims:

This scoping review aimed to identify and describe the main components of nurse-led interventions for TB patients.

Methods:

A comprehensive search was conducted across Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science with no restrictions applied. Studies were eligible if they reported nurse-led interventions for TB patients in either clinical or community settings. Two reviewers independently screened the records and extracted relevant data, and the findings were systematically charted and summarised descriptively.

Results:

Of 6014 records screened, 11 studies involving 1044 participants were included. Most interventions (73%) were delivered in primary care, emphasising education and counselling. Six categories of nurse-led interventions were identified: health education, psychological support, respiratory exercises, medication guidance, nutritional support, and discharge instruction. These interventions were structured, delivered face-to-face and lasted 1–24 months. The interventions reported improvement in knowledge, adherence, psychological well-being, respiratory function, and nutritional status.

Conclusions:

Nurse-led interventions enhance outcomes for TB patients across diverse settings. Integrating structured, patient-centred strategies, and strengthening nursing capacity through training and supportive policy are essential for sustainable TB management.