Abstract
Background
Inhaled β-agonists are the cornerstone of acute treatment for asthma and chronic lung
disease. Upon emergency department (ED) discharge, patients optimally receive prescriptions
for metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) with instructions on their proper use. Yet prior
studies suggest that ED personnel have limited knowledge of proper MDI techniques.
It is unclear how effectively brief education will improve this knowledge to enable
them to provide adequate patient instructions.
Objective
Our aim was to evaluate ED medical personnel's baseline knowledge of MDI use and the
utility of brief education on their ability to use MDIs.
Methods
After providing written consent, a spirometry nurse evaluated emergency physicians
and nurses on their ability to properly perform three (open-mouth/two-finger, spacer,
and closed-mouth) MDI techniques. The same spirometry nurse then gave a short educational
session demonstrating the proper MDI techniques. Two weeks later, the nurse re-evaluated
the same personnel on their MDI techniques.
Results
All emergency medical personnel initially performed poorly in demonstrating proper
MDI technique, averaging 29.8% steps done correctly. Two weeks after their educational
session, they improved greatly, averaging 89.4% steps done correctly.
Conclusions
This study demonstrated both that ED personnel had poor initial knowledge about MDI
techniques and that a brief educational intervention improved most people's ability
to use, and presumably to instruct patients/parents in proper use of, MDIs.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 31, 2020
Accepted:
February 15,
2020
Received in revised form:
December 28,
2019
Received:
October 27,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
