Inhaler education for hospital-based pharmacists: how much is required?

To compare the effectiveness of a more intensive educational intervention with a less intensive intervention on the ability of hospital pharmacists to be prepared to educate patients regarding inhaled device technique.

Randomized controlled trial. Inhaler technique and knowledge were assessed pre-education, immediately after and three months after education by a research assistant blinded to the educational allocation.

Tertiary hospital pharmacy department.

Hospital-based pharmacists.

A 1 h 'hands-on' session with feedback (more intense education, MIE) or written materials describing inhaler use (less intense education, LIE).

The change in overall score from pre-education to early posteducation for MIE was greater than for LIE (mean [95% CI]) (2.64 [1.27 to 4.01] versus 1.26 [0.05 to 2.47], P<0.001). Assessment scores improved for all device demonstrations and general knowledge. The change in score from the pre-education to the late posteducation period was only slightly higher in the MIE group than the LIE group, a difference that was not statistically significant (1.78 [0.82 to 2.74] versus 1. 22 [0.06 to 2.39], P=0.09). Scores in both groups were lower in the late posteducation period compared with the early posteducation period. Greater increases in total score in the immediate posteducation period were associated with a low baseline score and the MIE intervention.

Individual coaching in inhaler technique produces greater improvement in inhaler knowledge among hospital pharmacists than provision of written materials. However, the advantage of the more intensive intervention was short-lived, with little advantage evident in three months.