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Short intervention can improve knowledge about childhood asthma in nursing staff
R L Henry1, J Hazell, J A Halliday
1University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
Summary
A seminar significantly improved asthma knowledge among general nurses, but gaps in understanding preventive medication and exercise-induced asthma persist. Further education is needed to address these critical knowledge deficits.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Respiratory Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Asthma knowledge is crucial for effective patient care in community and hospital settings.
- General nurses play a vital role in asthma management and patient education.
- Identifying knowledge gaps is essential for targeted educational interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a 3-hour seminar on improving asthma knowledge among general nurses.
- To assess changes in nurses' understanding of asthma management, including preventive and exercise-induced aspects.
Main Methods:
- A pre- and post-seminar asthma knowledge questionnaire was administered to 29 general nurses.
- The questionnaire was previously validated to ensure reliability.
- Knowledge scores were compared before the seminar and 6 weeks after the intervention.
Main Results:
- Mean asthma knowledge scores significantly increased from 20.6 to 26.2 (out of 31) post-seminar.
- The proportion of nurses scoring 24 or higher rose from 5/29 to 17/21.
- Despite improvement, significant deficiencies remained regarding preventive medication and exercise-induced asthma management.
Conclusions:
- The asthma seminar effectively enhanced nurses' general knowledge.
- Targeted education is required to address persistent knowledge gaps in specific asthma management areas.
- Ongoing professional development is necessary to ensure optimal asthma care by nurses.