Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 4, 2026
Employing the Forced Oscillation Technique for the Assessment of Respiratory Mechanics in Adults
Published on: February 9, 2022
Inhalation technique assessment and evaluation for the need of pharmaceutical intervention in respiratory pathologies
Yveth Michelle Tajes-González1, Jaime Gulín-Dávila2, Paloma Castellano-Copa3
1Pharmacy Service. University Hospital Lucus Augusti, Lugo. yveth.michelle@gmail.com.
Objective:
To evaluate rate and type of errors in inhalation technique of patients seen in hospitals at the observation area in the emergency department, as well as patients seen in the outpatients clinic at the primary care pharmaceutical consultation, and at the community pharmacy.
Method:
Descriptive observational study carried out by a hospital pharmacist, along with a primary care pharmacist and a community pharmacist. An anonymous survey was performed in order to collect different analyzed data. Each patient was asked to execute a complete demonstration on how they used their inhalers, to actively check the inhalation technique. Two checklists regarding the type of inhaler were established in order to assess said technique. Results were tabulated through Microsoft Excel® 2010 software and analyzed through R 3.5 statistical program.
Results:
A total of 66 patients (42 male, 24 female; mean age 67) were recruited. Out of all patients, 48.5% used more than one inhaler, which 34.4% used different types of inhaler, and 65.6% used different systems. A total of 39 patients were under dry powder inhaler therapy, and 38 were using pressurized metered dose inhalers. The most frequent errors -both in dry powder inhalers and pressurized metered dose inhalers-were: not performing a 10 second apnea and not slowly expelling air from the lungs. Around 50% of patients needed new learning after assessing their inhalation technique, even though 88.5% had already received previous training. Older aged patients performed a worse inhalation technique.
Conclusions:
There is a high rate of errors in the use of inhaled therapy, being even higher among older aged patients. The inhalation technique training by the medical staff seems inadequate, as it is crucial to raise awareness about the importance of health education for patients and their use of inhalers, to which a scheduled follow up and a technical and feedback obtained from the patient assessment is required.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Assessment of Respiration
Subjective Assessment: Nurses interview the patient to gather information directly during the subjective assessment. It includes questions about the individual's medical history, medications, and symptoms, focusing on past respiratory conditions like...
01:19Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
01:23Inhaled Medications
01:27Physical Assessment of the Respiratory Tract II: Inspection
Chest Configuration
The chest configuration...
01:20Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate
A Ventilation assessment is critical for monitoring a patient's health status. Respiration, one of the most accessible vital signs, provides insights into the function of numerous body systems and can indicate serious health issues, such as brainstem injuries from head trauma.
Critical Guidelines for Assessing Ventilation:
01:30Assessment of Airway, Skin Color, and Use of Accessory Muscles
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...