Ana Jove Blanco

and 5 more

Background: Inhaler technique (IT) knowledge among healthcare providers is poor. The aim was to improve PED healthcare providers’ IT technique by carrying out an education intervention, and sustain it for 6 months. Methods: open-label, quasi-experimental, prospective and unicentric study. Healthcare professionals working at the Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) were enrolled. The study was developed in three phases: baseline evaluation and education intervention (P1) and reevaluation 1 month (P2) and 6 months (P3) after the education intervention. Participants fulfilled an eight-question theoretical test. Practical skills were evaluated by demonstrating IT in all three phases. The education intervention consisted in a verbal explanation of IT followed by a demonstration of IT with metered-dose inhaler using a mannequin. Results: 84 healthcare providers (medical residents, nurses and nursing assistants) were involved. In the theoretical questionnaire, the mean score at baseline was 4.4/8 (SD 1.7) improving to 6.3/8 (SD 1.2) in P2 and 6.47/8 (SD 1.1) in P3. In the IT evaluation for children <7 years old, the score improved from 5.7/7 (SD1.3) to 6.5/7 in P2 and 6.7/7 in P3 (p<0.001). For children >7 years old, the mean score of IT at baseline was 3.1/10 (SD 4), which improved to 7.4/10 (SD3) and 8.2/10 in P2 and P3 respectively (p<0.001). Only laboral category influenced results at baseline. Conclusion: Healthcare providers’ theoretical knowledge and practical skills on IT are low. The education intervention performed is a useful strategy to ameliorate IT among healthcare providers.