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THE EFFECT OF A ONE-DAY
ASTHMA EDUCATION SEMINAR ON KNOWLEDGE OF PEAK EXPIRATORY FLOW RATE MEASUREMENT
AND METERED DOSE INHALERS WITH SPACERS AMONG HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.
Terry S. LeGrand,
PhD, RRT, Donna D. Gardner, BS, RRT, and David C. Shelledy, PhD, RRT,
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas.
Background: Morbidity and
mortality among asthma patients have been on the rise in recent years, while
availability of health care dollars is declining. In today?s managed care environment,
it is important for health care professionals to effectively educate patients
to better manage this chronic disease.
Objective: To determine if
a one-day asthma education seminar results in enhanced understanding of peak
expiratory flow rate (PEFR) measurement and use of metered dose inhalers (MDIs)
with spacers among members of the health care team.
Methods: Physicians (MD; n=12),
respiratory therapists (RT; n=13), registered nurses (RN; n=73), and licensed
vocational nurses (LVN; n=27) were given a written true/false pre-test on use
of peak flow meters and MDI?s with spacers followed by a one-day asthma education
seminar, consisting of six one-hour lectures and an asthma fair emphasizing
use of medications and equipment. Following the seminar and fair the test was
repeated, and scores within and between the four groups were compared using
paired t-tests and ANOVA, with p < 0.05 considered significant.
Results: Mean scores (SD)
are shown in Tables 1 and 2. There were no significant differences (p
> 0.05) between MDs, RTs, RNs, and LVNs on the pre-test or post-test. When
grouped together, posttest scores for all participants (n=125) improved significantly
over pre-test scores (p<0.0001). When scores were compared by profession,
however, only RN?s showed an improvement in PEFR measurement test scores (p
= 0.0001), while all groups improved their scores on MDI/spacer use (p<0.05).
Conclusions: All participants
showed a significant improvement in knowledge of the proper use of MDIs and
spacers following attendance at the asthma education seminar and fair, though
only RNs showed improvement in the use of peak flow measurements. Participation
by MDs, RTs, and nurses in a common asthma education seminar is expected to
provide consistency in disease management strategies utilized by members of
the health care team, resulting in more effective education of patients with
asthma.
OF-01-179
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