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Nurses' performance of inhalation technique with metered-dose inhaler plus spacer device
T H Self1, T M Kelso, K L Arheart
1Department of Pharmacy Services, UT Bowld Hospital, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Memphis 38103.
Objective:
To determine if nurses could correctly use a metered-dose inhaler plus spacer (MDI-spacer) device after a brief description and demonstration of proper use by a clinical pharmacist.
Design:
Pretest, educational intervention, posttest.
Setting:
University hospital.
Participants:
Twenty-three nurses.
Interventions:
Nurses were asked to use the MDI-spacer (Aerochamber) and were scored using a nine-point checklist (pretest). Educational intervention by the clinical pharmacist consisted of a five-minute discussion and correct demonstration of the device. Nurses were then asked to use the device again (posttest).
Main Outcome Measures:
Pre- and posttest scores.
Results:
Total scores were improved after the educational intervention (66 percent pretest vs. 88 percent posttest, p = 0.0001). In an item analysis, four of the nine steps had improved significantly.
Conclusions:
A brief discussion and demonstration of correct use of MDI-spacers is effective in improving nurses' skill in using the device.