Inhaler technique training and health-care professionals: effective long-term solution for a current problem

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Assessing health-care professionals' (HCPs) inhaler technique is crucial for effective asthma management.
• Many HCPs exhibit suboptimal skills in demonstrating correct inhaler use, particularly with newer devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the inhaler technique skills of various health-care professionals in Jordan.
• To assess the effectiveness of a single educational intervention on improving these skills in the short and long term.

Main Methods:

• Inhaler technique was assessed at baseline for 200 health-care professionals.
• Participants attended an educational workshop focused on asthma management and inhaler use.
• Technique was reassessed immediately post-workshop and at a 4-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• All HCPs demonstrated poor technique with dry powder inhalers compared to metered-dose inhalers (MDIs).
• The educational workshop significantly improved inhaler technique scores immediately after training.
• Improved scores were sustained at 4-month follow-up, with workshop attendees outperforming non-attendees.

Conclusions:

• Health-care professionals in Jordan, excluding specialists, require updated training in inhaler technique, especially for dry powder inhalers.
• A single educational workshop is effective in significantly enhancing and maintaining HCPs' long-term inhaler technique skills.